Northern Flickers in Montana
When flickers are present in Montana, when they nest, which native Montana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–6a yard.
- Status in Montana
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–6a
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Montana
Northern Flickers live in Montana all year. Very cold winters on the plains, with chinook winds bringing sudden thaws. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward poison ivy, dogwood, sumac and bayberry fruit.
Continental — Rocky Mountain forest in the west, semi-arid Great Plains in the east.
Nesting in Montana
Across Montana, flickers typically nest from May–June. Nest site: excavated cavity in dead or soft trees and utility poles. Females lay 5–8 eggs, incubate for 11–13 days, and young leave the nest after 24–27 days.
Warm, dry summers and a short growing season.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — flickers begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
- Use a 2 1/2 in entrance on a 7 × 7 in floor, mounted 6–20 ft.
- Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
- Clean out old nests after each brood and again after June.
Native Montana plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Montana, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Red fruit persists until late winter when other food is gone.
Sweet dry fruit on the branch all winter.
Feeding flickers through the Montana year
Flickers feed on lawns more than any other woodpecker and will use nest boxes packed with wood chips.
- Best foods: Suet, Peanut hearts.
- In Montana's winter: Very cold winters on the plains, with chinook winds bringing sudden thaws.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Montana year-round?
Yes. Northern Flickers are year-round residents in Montana.
When do flickers nest in Montana?
Nesting in Montana typically runs May–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Montana?
Smooth sumac, Bur oak, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Highbush cranberry, Common hackberry are native plants in Montana that provide food or cover for flickers.
What size birdhouse hole do flickers need?
2 1/2 in, with a floor of 7 × 7 in mounted 6–20 ft.
Northern Flickers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Montana
Sources
- Northern Flicker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Northern Flicker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Northern Flicker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Montana
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.