The Northern Flicker is a medium-sized woodpecker found throughout much of North America. With their brownish barred plumage, black bib, and bright yellow underwings, Northern Flickers are a striking and easily identifiable backyard bird.
Northern Flickers frequent backyards with large trees, especially older trees that provide suitable nesting cavities. They also visit backyard feeders, preferring to feed on the ground under tube feeders or platform feeders. When choosing a bird feeder to attract Northern Flickers, there are several factors to consider, including the type of food, feeder placement, and feeder design.
What Do Northern Flickers Eat?
Northern Flickers are omnivores and will eat a wide variety of foods. Their natural diet consists mainly of insects, including ants, beetles, and caterpillars. They also eat seeds, berries, and fruit.
At bird feeders, Northern Flickers enjoy eating:
- Suet
- Peanuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Safflower seeds
- Cracked corn
- Mealworms
- Fruit like raisins, currants, apples
Suet is especially attractive to Northern Flickers. Offering suet in cake, plug, or ball form will likely bring these birds to your yard. They also like peanuts, including heart-healthy no-salt peanuts. Black oil sunflower seeds are another favorite food.
Where to Place a Northern Flicker Bird Feeder
Northern Flickers prefer to find food scattered on the ground. They do not cling to feeders like smaller birds and are most likely to visit platform feeders or tube feeders with catch trays that spill seed onto the ground.
Some tips for placing a feeder to attract Northern Flickers:
- Set up feeders within a few feet of trees or wooden fence posts. Northern Flickers feel more comfortable feeding when they have a place to perch nearby.
- Arrange feeders near downed logs, stumps, or brush piles, which provide cover and a lookout perch.
- Add a suet feeder on a tree trunk or post at eye level. Northern Flickers like clinging upright to feed on suet.
- Rake an area under the feeder free of leaves, grass, and vegetation. Northern Flickers prefer feeding on open ground.
- Position feeders in an open area away from dense bushes or shrubs where predators may hide.
Having multiple feeders spread throughout your yard will increase your chances of attracting Northern Flickers. Try offering suet on one side of the yard and seed on the other.
Choosing a Bird Feeder for Northern Flickers
When selecting a bird feeder to attract Northern Flickers, consider the following features:
- Feeder type – Platform and tray feeders allow Northern Flickers to feed on spilled seeds from the ground. Tube feeders with large catch trays also work well. Suet feeders provide an excellent high-calorie food source.
- Feeder capacity – Larger tube feeders or platform feeders hold more food and require less frequent refilling.
- Wide feeding ports – Look for tube feeders with 1 1/8” – 1 1⁄4” diameter ports, wide enough for a Northern Flicker’s bill.
- metal mesh feeder bottoms – Allows spent seed hulls to drop through so Northern Flickers can easily find food.
- Durable construction – Northern Flickers are large, heavy birds. Seek feeders made of chew-proof materials like metal and thick plastic.
- Baffles or guards – Deters squirrels and other thieves from stealing the seed.
Here are some excellent feeder options to consider for Northern Flickers:
Platform Feeders
- Woodlink Going Green Platform Feeder
- Songbird Essentials Platform Feeder
- Perky-Pet Platform Bird Feeder
- Squirrel Buster Platform Feeder
Platform feeders have an open tray design that allows birds like Northern Flickers to perch on the edges and feed on spilled seeds below. Look for larger feeders that hold 5+ pounds of birdseed.
Tube Feeders
- Squirrel Buster Classic Bird Feeder
- Aspects Jumbo High Capacity Bird Feeder
- Perky-Pet Jumbo Buffet Bird Feeder
- Woodlink Absolute II Tube Bird Feeder
Northern Flickers can feed comfortably from tube feeders with large 1 1⁄4 inch seed ports and big seed trays. Metal mesh bottoms help ensure spent hulls don’t accumulate.
Suet Feeders
- Brome 1024 Squirrel Buster Mini Suet Feeder
- Gray bunny GB-6850 Suet Feeder
- Perky-Pet Double Suet Bird Feeder
- Woodlink Audubon Suet Raft
Suet feeders like miniature hoppers or plugs make perfect feeding stations for Northern Flickers. Look for metal cages that deter squirrels.
Ground Feeding
You can also spread seeds, nuts, corn, and suet bits directly on the ground for Northern Flickers. Use a spreading tray or platform feeder without a center cone. Clean up any uneaten food at the end of the day.
Tips for Feeding Northern Flickers
Follow these tips to make your yard as attractive as possible to foraging Northern Flickers:
- Offer suet year-round. Northern Flickers relish suet of all flavors, including insect, fruit, and nut suet.
- Provide a nutritious blend of seeds like black oil sunflower seeds, cracked corn, millet, safflower seeds, and peanuts.
- Mix in dried mealworms for extra protein.
- Serve suet and seed in separate areas to reduce crowding and competition.
- Clean feeders regularly and remove old, soggy seed to prevent mold.
- Supplement feeders with fruit. Chop apples, berries, grapes into small pieces.
- Make your own suet by mixing rendered fat, peanut butter, cornmeal, oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit like dates.
- Avoid suet and seed mixes containing filler like milo, wheat, or oats which Northern Flickers rarely eat.
- Spread crushed eggshells near suet and seeds as a natural calcium supplement.
With an inviting habitat and the right feeders and foods, you’ll have Northern Flickers visiting your backyard all year round.
Conclusion
Northern Flickers are a delight to have visit backyard bird feeders. To attract them, provide an open feeding area near trees along with platform feeders or large tube feeders. Fill feeders with nutritious foods like suet, black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, and fruit. Place feeders near brush piles, stumps, or other perches. Spread feed on the ground for these terrestrial feeders. With a feeder suited to their needs, you’ll gain hours of enjoyment watching Northern Flickers probe for their favorite treats.