Last Updated on January 26, 2024 by Greg Gillson
Northern Flickers are found coast-to-coast across North America. You probably have Northern Flickers in your neighborhood. But did you know that they will come to your bird feeder?
How do you attract Northern Flickers to your bird feeder? Follow these suggestions to attract Northern Flickers to your feeder.
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| Northern Flicker. Greg Gillson. |
Why attract Northern Flickers to your bird feeder?
Northern Flickers are large and colorful birds. They have a unique feather pattern with barred back, spotted belly, and black crescent across the chest. The red or yellow shafts on the flight feathers draw attention in flight, as does the white rump.
These woodpeckers are often found on the ground eating ants and insect pests. So, they readily feed in the open and are easily attracted to bird feeders… if you offer the correct foods.
In addition, they usually occur individually, get along with other birds at the feeder, and don’t eat small bird seeds. So they don’t take over the bird feeder.
For all these reasons, Northern Flickers are good to have at your bird feeder and in your yard.
What foods will attract Northern Flickers to your feeder?
Northern Flickers eat ants. Lot’s of ants. Unlike other woodpeckers, Northern Flickers hop on the ground and eat ants they find in your lawn.
But they will visit your bird feeder. At your bird feeder Northern Flickers will eat black oil sunflower seeds, sunflower chips, shelled peanuts, peanut butter, and suet.
The best mixed bird seed that I have found is Wagner’s Songbird Supreme. It is 50% sunflower seeds and doesn’t have any cheap filler seed that birds won’t eat. This seed attracts the largest variety of birds to your feeder.
These birds will also eat fruit and berries occasionally. One fruit that Northern Flickers are known to eat is purple grapes. You might also try grape jelly in a small cup.
Northern Flickers especially like to eat suet. It is their favorite food at your feeder.
For my home feeders, I always purchase St Albans Bay Suet blocks. It comes in several flavors, including peanut and berry. They fit in required special suet cages, which are a type of bird feeder.
What kind of feeders do Northern Flickers like?
Because they are larger, Northern Flicker like to eat on large platform feeders. Here they can easily reach whatever foods they want.
The primary feeder for Northern Flickers is a suet feeder. It is amazing how they can hang onto even the smallest of suet cages!
I bought a Nature’s Way Upside-down suet feeder a couple years ago and have been very happy with it. Chickadees, nuthatches, bushtits, and woodpeckers eat from it easily. But starlings, blackbirds, and jays can’t hang upside down to get at the suet.
Where to place your bird feeder for Northern Flickers
Fortunately, Northern Flickers aren’t too picky about the placement of your bird feeder.
They actually might prefer a feeder more out in the open than other birds like. When frightened they usually just fly away. They are large enough, with a formidable bill, that many hawks go after smaller prey.
Even though they eat on the ground, Northern Flickers are still woodpeckers. They dig their nest cavity in larger trees. They do spend time in trees. I have hung suet feeders from low branches of large trees and the flickers seemed to like that location just fine.
How else can you attract Northern Flickers to your yard?
I don’t recall ever seeing a Northern Flicker at a bird bath, myself. There are photos online of flickers at bird baths, and most of these seem to be rough concrete types.
On the other hand, I have frequently seen flickers drinking from mud puddles.
Northern Flickers are attracted to moving water, such as a recycling pond with natural-looking waterfalls.
They may also be attracted to berry-producing trees. Such trees as wild cherry, hackberry, dogwood, and oak trees provide food for Northern Flickers in fall and winter.
Problems with Northern Flickers: If you have attracted too many to your feeder
Okay, I do have to warn you that there could be a downside to having Northern Flickers as a regular guest in your yard.
In spring, Northern Flickers announce their territory by drumming their bill rapidly on dead treetops or branches that carry sound a long distance.
You know what also makes a good sounding board? Your gutters or downspouts at 5 o’clock in the morning! A vent cover or metal siding on a garage or out building works well, too. This could start in April and continue into June.
And sometimes flickers may decide to drill into the siding of your home. If this is in the spring, then most likely they are drilling a nest hole. Remember that flickers eat ants on the ground, so they most likely aren’t going after termites in your siding. But you might want to keep an eye on that possibility.
Northern Flickers don’t eat easily from tube feeders. So you may want to switch from a platform feeder to a tube feeder to discourage woodpeckers, if they are a problem.
I really love the way my iBorn tube feeder looks, with it’s copper top. A screwdriver takes off the lower perch and opens it up for cleaning. This feeder filled with black oil sunflower seeds attracts all types of finches, chickadees, and nuthatches. The smaller perches and lack of tray mean that you’ll have fewer House Sparrows, Starlings, Doves, and Jays at this feeder.
Wrapping Up
Northern flickers are woodpeckers, belonging to the family Picidae. While they might not exhibit all the stereotypical woodpecker behaviors, several crucial characteristics identify them as members of this diverse group:
Physical Traits:
- Strong, chisel-like bill: Like other woodpeckers, flickers possess a sturdy bill adapted for drilling and hammering into wood. This specialized tool allows them to access hidden insects and create nesting cavities.
- Zygodactyl feet: Their unique foot structure has two toes pointed forward and two backward, providing exceptional grip and stability when clinging to vertical surfaces like tree trunks.
- Stiff tail feathers: Similar to other woodpeckers, their tail feathers act as props, supporting them when drumming or excavating wood.
Behavior:
- Drumming: While less frequent than some other woodpeckers, northern flickers do drum on trees and other objects using their beaks to communicate and defend their territory.
- Insect-eating: Although they feed on the ground more than most woodpeckers, their primary diet consists of insects obtained by digging, probing, and hammering into wood or under bark.
- Nesting habits: They create nesting cavities in trees, similar to other woodpeckers, using their bills to excavate holes and raise their young.
Unique Adaptations:
- Long, sticky tongue: Unlike most woodpeckers, flickers have a long, barbed tongue they use to capture ants and other invertebrates from the ground, supplementing their diet and offering an alternative foraging strategy.
- Ground foraging: While they sometimes drum and excavate wood, their preference for feeding on the ground sets them apart from some other woodpeckers who primarily forage on trees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it rare to see a Northern Flicker?
Whether or not you consider a Northern Flicker “rare” depends on several factors, including:
Your location: Their abundance varies across their range. They are widespread and common throughout much of North America, found in various habitats like forests, woodlands, open areas, and even backyards.
Time of year: They are year-round residents in most of their range, so you might see them throughout the year. However, migrations can influence their local abundance. Large numbers might be seen during spring and fall migrations, while populations might be less concentrated during breeding season or winter.
Habitat type: They are more likely to be seen in habitats they prefer, such as forests with dead or dying trees, where they can easily find food and nesting sites. In areas with limited suitable habitat, sightings might be less frequent.
Why is a Northern Flicker not called a woodpecker?
You’re right, “woodpecker” seems like a fitting name for a Northern Flicker! However, despite their close similarities, there are a few reasons why they have a different name:
Historical Classification:
- When Carl Linnaeus named and classified the Northern Flicker in 1758, he placed it in the genus Cuculus, alongside cuckoos. This classification was based on a superficial resemblance in tail shape and barring patterns, not on actual evolutionary relationships.
- Later research revealed that flickers are more closely related to other woodpeckers than cuckoos. However, the name “Northern Flicker” stuck, even after they were reclassified into the woodpecker family (Picidae).
Unique Adaptations:
- While Northern Flickers share many key woodpecker traits like strong bills, drumming behavior, and insect-based diet, they also have some unique adaptations that set them apart:
- Ground foraging: Unlike most woodpeckers who primarily forage on trees, flickers spend a significant amount of time feeding on the ground, hunting for ants and other invertebrates.
- Long, sticky tongue: Their specialized tongue helps them capture ground-dwelling prey, further emphasizing their distinct foraging strategy.
Distinctive Behavior:
- Although they do drum occasionally, their drumming isn’t as frequent or intense as other woodpeckers. This difference might have contributed to them acquiring a separate name.
Are Northern Flickers aggressive?
While Northern Flickers aren’t generally considered aggressive towards humans, they can exhibit aggressive behaviors towards other birds, particularly during the breeding season or when defending their territory. Here’s a breakdown of their aggression levels:
Towards humans:
- Generally not aggressive: They are unlikely to attack humans, even if approached closely. They might fly away or exhibit defensive behaviors like fluffing their feathers or calling loudly.
- Defensive if cornered: If they feel threatened or trapped, they might peck or flap their wings, but these are primarily defensive actions rather than true aggression.
Towards other birds:
- More aggressive: They can be territorial and defend their feeding grounds and nesting sites against other birds, especially during breeding season.
- Display behaviors: Aggressive displays might include head-bobbing, wing-flicking, tail spreading, and bill-pointing. In rare cases, they might chase or peck at other birds.
- Competition for resources: Competition for food and nest sites can trigger these aggressive behaviors, particularly in areas with limited resources.
Related Articles:
Why aren’t birds coming to your feeder?
10 Fruits you should be feeding birds
First in series: Irresistible! Attract Mourning Doves to your feeder
Next in series: Irresistible! Attract House Sparrows to your feeder
