Northern Flickers in Utah
When flickers are present in Utah, when they nest, which native Utah plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4a–9a yard.
- Status in Utah
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 4a–9a
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Utah
Northern Flickers live in Utah all year. Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards. 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.
Semi-arid to arid, with the Wasatch Range rising above the Great Basin and red-rock canyon country in the south.
Nesting in Utah
Across Utah, 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.
Hot, dry summers.
- 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 Utah plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Utah, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Blue fruit on red stems in early fall.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.
Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.
Acorns for jays and woodpeckers across the southern Rockies.
Feeding flickers through the Utah 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 Utah's winter: Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Utah year-round?
Yes. Northern Flickers are year-round residents in Utah.
When do flickers nest in Utah?
Nesting in Utah typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Utah?
Smooth sumac, Virginia creeper, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Rocky Mountain juniper, Ponderosa pine, Gambel oak are native plants in Utah 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 Utah
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 — Utah
- 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.