Northern Flickers in Wisconsin
When flickers are present in Wisconsin, when they nest, which native Wisconsin plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6a yard.
- Status in Wisconsin
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–6a
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 7 × 7 in floor, 6–20 ft
When to expect flickers in Wisconsin
Northern Flickers live in Wisconsin all year. Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north. 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, with two Great Lakes shorelines, northern forest and southern prairie-oak savanna.
Nesting in Wisconsin
Across Wisconsin, 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, humid summers.
- 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 Wisconsin plants that attract flickers
Of the regional native plants we track for Wisconsin, these 8 provide food or cover flickers use:
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding flickers through the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin's winter: Cold, snowy winters; boreal finches visit the north.
Frequently asked
Are flickers in Wisconsin year-round?
Yes. Northern Flickers are year-round residents in Wisconsin.
When do flickers nest in Wisconsin?
Nesting in Wisconsin typically runs May–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 5–8 eggs, incubated for 11–13 days.
What native plants attract flickers in Wisconsin?
Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry are native plants in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
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 — Wisconsin
- 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.