Northern Flickers in New York
When flickers are present in New York, when they nest, which native New York plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.
- Status in New York
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–7b
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in New York
Northern Flickers live in New York all year. Long, snowy winters upstate; lake-effect snow belts make feeders and roost boxes important. 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.
Humid continental, from cold Adirondack highlands to the maritime-moderated coast of Long Island.
Nesting in New York
Across New York, flickers typically nest from April–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 summers with a shorter nesting season upstate than downstate.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before March — 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 New York plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for New York, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Winter fruit.
Blue-black fall fruit and insect cover.
Seeds and year-round shelter.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Feeding flickers through the New York 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 New York's winter: Long, snowy winters upstate; lake-effect snow belts make feeders and roost boxes important.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in New York year-round?
Yes. Northern Flickers are year-round residents in New York.
When do flickers nest in New York?
Nesting in New York typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in New York?
Winterberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Eastern white pine, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac are native plants in New York 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 New York
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 — New York
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- New York Breeding Bird Atlas III
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.