Northern Flicker Nesting (Behavior, Eggs + Location)

Northern Blink (Gold wing mushroom) is a broad member of the woodpecker family. These unique birds are found throughout the open woodlands of northern North America.

Like other woodpecker species, northern woodpeckers are cavity nesters. It digs its nest in dead or diseased trees, chiseling away bark and wood chips with a specially modified beak.

This woodpecker species clearly prefers to nest in aspen trees. However, due to the wide range of shimmering habitats, their nesting habitats are exceptionally diverse.

We discuss the Northern flicker’s habitat and other nesting preferences in more detail below. Read on to discover more!

Northern Flickers, like other woodpecker species, are cave nesters

nest location

Where Do Northern Phoenixes Nest?

Northern flickers are primarily cave-nesting birds. Like other woodpeckers, they dig or reuse holes in dead trees or obstacles. Occasionally, they also nest in old burrows abandoned by kingfishers or shore swallows.

Flashes cover a wide range of habitats throughout North America. They especially like to nest in rickety aspen trees (probably because heart rot is common and the wood softens and makes digging easier).

However, aspen wasn’t the only nesting tree Fudge chose. They nest in a range of tree species, including oak and pine.

Do Northern Flickers nest in the same place every year?

Returns to the same breeding grounds year after year, but does not always reuse the same nest. If the nest is successfully located and largely undisturbed, they are more likely to return (or at least dig a new nest in the same tree).

Do Northern Flickers Nest in Backyards?

Northern flickers will nest in backyards if the space offers their preferred habitat—open woodland, forest edge, or savannah. If you live in or on the edge of an aspen grove or other suitable woodland with dead trees or obstructions, chances are your backyard naturally attracts flicker.

Male northern flicker outside the nest cavity

Do Northern Flickers use nest boxes?

Certain nest boxes are attractive to Northern flickers. Because they are cave nesters, these birds like to dig their nests.

Wood shavings filled structures can be used for this purpose. The wood shavings provided the blinking pairs with the opportunity to dig — part of their mating behavior.

What trees do Northern Flickers nest in?

Northern flickers nest in various dead or diseased tree species. While they love to sway in aspens, they also dig their nests in oaks, pine, spruce, and fir.

How Tall Are Northern Flicker Nests?

Nest cavity heights are variable in Northern Flicker populations. On average, the nest is 6-15 feet off the ground. The distance from the ground mainly depends on the height of the chosen tree or obstacle.

In areas with shorter trees and overgrown bushes, the hollow will be closer to the ground.

On the other hand, in areas with high tree heights, such as the Northwest Territories, nests will be placed higher up. There are records of nests occurring more than 100 feet above the ground.

A pair of young Northern Flicker chicks looking out of the nesting hole

Nest Appearance

What does a Northern Flicker’s lair look like?

Northern flicker nests are usually cylindrical, with an entrance wide enough for adults to enter and exit. Inside, the nest expands downward and curves, giving adults enough room to turn around. The bottom of the nest is sunken and covered with sawdust.

The flickering eggs sit directly on top of the sawdust – a product of digging.

How big is the northern flicker nest?

The cavity entrance of the Northern Blink nest is about 3 inches in diameter. Inside, the nest is usually 13-16 inches deep. The bottom is the widest part, leaving room for the egg and an adult.

The north flickers back to the lair

phenology

What time of year do Northern Flickers nest?

The breeding season for Northern flickers usually begins in late winter or early spring and ends in midsummer. Depending on the region, mating may occur as early as February or as late as mid-April.

Once a pair is formed, digging begins. A cavity may take 11-20 days.

Female fireflies usually lay their eggs sometime from early May to mid-June. Chicks hatch 9-10 days after the last egg is laid. After about 24 days in the nest, the chicks will have fledged, but will spend longer with their parents.

How long do Northern Flickers nest?

Northern Flickers typically nest for over a month. Once all eggs are laid, hatching begins. Chicks hatch after a nine- or ten-day incubation period. Hatching marks the beginning of the chick period and usually lasts 25-28 days.

Northern Flicker removing fecal sacs from nest

In what month do arctic foxes lay eggs?

Female northern fireflies typically lay eggs from early May to mid-June. The time depends mainly on the weather. Nesting occurs later in cooler regions, while flickers typically reproduce earlier in warmer winters and springs.

Where do northern torchbirds nest in winter?

Northern flickerbirds also nest in burrows in winter. Most scintillation populations are perennial residents, meaning they remain in or near breeding areas throughout the year.

The scintillating populations in Alaska and northern and central Canada are the only ones thought to be migratory. Due to winter extremes in these northernmost regions, these birds migrate south, possibly nesting in abandoned burrows.

Closeup of an adult Flicker feeding two hungry chicks

nest

How do Northern Flickers build their nests?

The northern flicker is a woodpecker. They dig their nests by chiseling away bark and wood chips with their beaks. If you’ve ever seen a woodpecker, you know they do this by clinging to the trunk and using their tail as a prop.

Once the opening is formed, birds perch on the edge and continue digging inside.

What do Northern Flickers use to build their nests?

Wood chips are the only nesting material used by northern scintillators. These are by-products of mining.

Do male or female Northern Flickers build nests?

Both male and female northern scintillators participate in nest digging. Although, records show that males do most of the nesting work.

Close-up of a Northern Flicker digging and building a nest cavity

Northern Glitter Egg

What do Northern Flicker eggs look like?

Northern flicker eggs are ovoid in shape. Egg size varies by species, but the smallest to largest measurements are usually between 1.86-3.65 cm in length and 1.60-3.31 cm in width.

Case colors are solid white and semi-gloss. However, the eggs may be pink until about five days after hatching, as the vibrant orange yolk shines through.

How many eggs do Northern Flickers lay?

On average, northern flickers lay 5 to 8 eggs per breeding season. They will not produce a second litter in the same year.

Do male Northern Flickers sit on eggs?

The male Northern Fudge assists in hatching. They usually sit on the eggs all night while the females hatch during the day.

Three Northern Flicker chicks look out of the nest

fledgling and parental care

When do Northern Flickers babies leave the nest?

Small northern flickers typically leave the nest 25-28 days after hatching. However, they are not yet fully independent. The fledgling chicks stay with their parents for a while.

How many litters do Northern Flickers have?

Northern flickers have only one litter per season. The mates don’t have time to build a second nest because the chicks usually don’t fledge until July and won’t be with their parents until at least late summer.

If the first nesting is unsuccessful, the twinkling pair may try to nest a second time in the same season.

Close-up of a Northern Flicker peeking from outside the nest

common problem

Are Northern Flickers Abandoning Their Dens?

Northern flickers rarely abandon their lairs. After laying eggs, a pair of parents stay with the chicks all the time. If the eggs are unsuccessful, they may simply abandon the nest.

Do Northern Flickers nest on the ground?

Northern flickers do not build their nests on the ground. However, it occasionally builds nests in burrows abandoned by other birds.

Where do Northern Flickers nest at night?

The flickerers of the north are hollow nesters. They sleep in burrows at night during and outside the breeding season.

How to Attract Nesting Northern Fudges?

Woodchip-filled nest boxes are an excellent way to attract northern flickers. The wood shavings provide the blinking pairs with the opportunity to dig as part of their mating behavior.