Northern Flicker in August
Where flickers are in August, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
August in the Northern Flicker's year
August feels like summer but the year has turned. Southbound migration is quietly underway, many adults are molting into fresh plumage, and family groups are breaking up. Late nesters are still feeding young in the North while southern birds are already drifting toward wintering grounds.
For the Northern Flicker specifically, August is a summer month of relative routine, with the species settled into its seasonal pattern across its range. Across the 61 states and provinces where flickers occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where flickers are in August
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In August, flickers are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in August
Flickers are not nesting in August. The season runs April–June at mid-latitudes.
That makes August a useful month for nest-box work: cleaning out old nesting material, checking mounts and predator guards, and making repairs while boxes are empty. A box that's ready early gets claimed early.
What to feed in August
- Ants and ant larvae
Flickers feed on lawns more than any other woodpecker and will use nest boxes packed with wood chips.
Molting birds look scruffy and often skulk — don't be surprised if familiar visitors briefly vanish. Keep water fresh in the heat.
Full Northern Flicker diet guide → · Best feeder for flickers →
Watching flickers this month
Flickers are settled and predictable in August, which makes this a good month to learn the bird's routine — same feeders, same perches, same times of day.
If you have a Northern Flicker box up, this is the month to make sure it's clean, secure and ready — the box guide below has the exact hole size and mounting height this species needs.
Northern Flicker month by month
Northern Flicker by state
Frequently asked
Where are flickers in August?
In August, flickers are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do flickers nest in August?
No — flickers typically nest April through June at mid-latitudes.
What do flickers eat in August?
Ants and ant larvae.
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
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.