Northern Flickers in Northwest Territories
When flickers are present in Northwest Territories, when they nest, which native Northwest Territories plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canada 0a–1a yard.
- Status in Northwest Territories
- Summer breeder
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canada 0a–1a
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Northwest Territories
Northern Flickers are summer residents in Northwest Territories, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on ants and ant larvae.
Subarctic boreal forest in the south, Arctic tundra in the north.
Nesting in Northwest Territories
Across Northwest Territories, 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.
Brief summers with midnight sun.
- 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 Northwest Territories plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Northwest Territories, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Fast-growing northern cherry with midsummer fruit.
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.
Saskatoon berries ripen in early summer.
Spruce-budworm habitat and dense winter roosting cover.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
Feeding flickers through the Northwest Territories 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 Northwest Territories's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Northwest Territories year-round?
No. Northern Flickers are summer breeders in Northwest Territories and leave for the winter.
When do flickers nest in Northwest Territories?
Nesting in Northwest Territories typically runs May–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Northwest Territories?
Paper birch, Pin cherry, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Highbush cranberry, Western serviceberry, Balsam fir, White spruce are native plants in Northwest Territories 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 Northwest Territories
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 — Northwest Territories
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- 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.