Wood duck and Northern Flicker nesting time?

[JeffOver]

Hi all,
Does anybody know when the flickers and/or wood ducks start nesting? I'm wondering if it's too late to try and put up birdhouses for them respectively. Thanks,
Jeff

[Gord]

Jeff, I wouldnt say it's too late.

The ducks will be scoping them out already but should still take to boxes put up in the next couple weeks.

Same for the flickers, although they will roost in the boxes at night during the winter so can be used then as well. Im not sure if flickers require a box stuffed full of shavings so they can 'excavate' their box. Part of woodpecker courship is creating new cavities but Im not sure if flickers do this as well. It's amazing how things are made to work. Woodpeckers make new cavities every year which leaves last year's cavity free for cavity nesting birds who cant make their own (swallows, bluebirds, wrens etc)

So, I dont think it's too late unless you are putting up boxes for owls as they might have decided on this year's nesting location by now.

[tmanson]

Hi Jeff and Gord: Both species are nesting out Hope way. I have seen a couple of Wood Ducks in Thacker's Marsh, obviously paired up, and the Northern Flickers are very conspicuous around my house. As a matter of fact, one was just hammering away on the side of the house a half hour ago. I would be very cautious about trying to attract flickers to your backyard this time of year. If your house, or siding is wood, they may try to build a nest there. A couple of years ago, we went away for March break, and came back to a sizable excavation in the side of our wood house.
On the other hand, maybe a nest box would discourage them from trying to use your house for the same purpose. Who knows? Cheers, Thor

Thor Manson
Hope, B.C.