Preferred Seed:
Sunflower seed, Peanuts, Suet
Description:
The Northern Flicker is a large woodpecker often seen feeding on the ground in search of ants and insects. Unlike many woodpeckers, flickers frequently forage on lawns and open areas, making them a familiar sight in yards and parks.
Feeder Type:
Platform, Suet
Nesting:
Northern Flickers excavate nesting cavities in dead trees or large branches. Both parents help dig the cavity and raise the young.
Identification:
A large brown woodpecker with black spots on the belly and a bold black crescent on the chest. In flight, bright flashes of yellow or red can be seen in the wings and tail depending on the subspecies. Males have a small mustache-like stripe on the face while females do not.
Song Description:
A loud series of clear “wicka wicka wicka” calls along with a ringing “kleer” note. Their drumming is slower and more rhythmic than many other woodpeckers.
How to Attract:
• Offer suet or peanut-based seed blends
• Provide platform feeders or suet feeders
• Maintain open lawns where they can search for ants
• Leave dead trees or snags where possible for natural habitat
Fun Fact:
Northern Flickers eat large numbers of ants and may consume thousands of ants in a single day while feeding on the ground.
Residency:
Year round resident across much of the United States and southern Canada. Northern populations migrate south in winter, sometimes reaching northern Mexico.
Region:
United States, Canada, Northern Mexico
Range Map:
Range Map 2025/2026 © Chirp Nook
Best Bird Food For
Northern Flicker
Northern Flicker
