Flicker nestbox (1 Viewer)

[david.margrave]

I have a nothern flicker family in my back yard.

These flickers take no abuse from the starlings. Once the flickers had settled into the nest I stopped leaving food out except for starling-proof containers. This was to avoid giving starlings any reason to visit my yard.

During the early stages, there was a flicker standing watch at the hole virtually all the time. They never left it alone. Every time I looked out the window, there was a flicker head poking out of the hole.

One day a starling came to the feeder and was hanging out, and I was about to go chase it away but the flicker beat me to it. He swooped in menacingly and the starling took off.

The eggs have hatched, I can hear the chicks. I read somewhere that once the eggs hatch the danger from starlings is past. Is that true?

 

[libirder]

Great job gettin flickers as they are decreasing in numbers.

Ive read that flickers can chase away and fend off any starling out of the box but the real problem is when the flicker is trapped in the box.Even though the flicker as a size advantage the starling usually seems to win in the box.So as long as the flicker doesnt get caught in the box it will fend off the starlings

Your chicks are not entirely safe. Starlings will evict samll nestlings if the flickers are paying attention. Ive even read of house wren evicting young flicker nestlings so keep a close eye ot until the chicks are older.Good luck with the flickers.And what kind of nest box you got?

 

[david.margrave]

Overall the starlings have not been a problem with my nest, thankfully. Once the chicks reached a certain size the parents spent less time guarding the nest. The box is made out of cedar, using plans I found on-line. I filled it up with pine shavings and woodchips. Initially (early april or so) the starlings took an interest in the box first, and at one point a starling was even trying to excavate the chips. I glued thin strips of end-grain wood over the hole to keep the starlings out. Once the flickers took an interest they had no trouble pecking their way through the wood strips and excavating the nest. The first flicker couple decided they didn't like the nest or lost out to the couple that ended up settling there.

 

[sherryh]

I am wanting to put out several houses for some of the woodpeckers that frequent our yard. We had some Northern Flickers last year and am thinking I would like to put out a nesting box to tempt them into returning!

 

[autumnwhispers2me]

I'm am TOTALLY brand new to birding, so I have a question about the Starlings... why is it important for starlings to not be attracted to the area where the flickers are? I am also curious about starling-proof feeders and why that is important as well, or even why they make them.

Sorry for my ignorance.. I'm learning.

Ella

 

[fugl]

I'm am TOTALLY brand new to birding, so I have a question about the Starlings... why is it important for starlings to not be attracted to the area where the flickers are? I am also curious about starling-proof feeders and why that is important as well, or even why they make them

Starlings are not native to North America--they were deliberately introduced from Europe in the late 19th century and since then have spread over most of the continent. As a (highly successful) invasive species many people regard them as a pests to be discouraged or exterminated. They are cavity nesters and are particularly disliked for their ability to successfully compete with native species for nest holes and bird boxes--flickers & other woodpeckers, bluebirds, and even Wood Ducks. Personally, I rather like starlings and wonder if their negative impact on the native avifauna hasn't been exaggerated. Nesting cavities, for example, are short supply in the bird world generally and there was probably hot competition for them among native species long before the first starlings were added to the mix.

 

[autumnwhispers2me]

Ah, okay. Thank you. It's nearly impossible for me to see any animal as a pest, etc. As usual, mankind has a hand in all these things. Either that or the Starlings had a great travel agent. ;p

 

[gymell]

Ah, okay. Thank you. It's nearly impossible for me to see any animal as a pest, etc. As usual, mankind has a hand in all these things. Either that or the Starlings had a great travel agent. ;p

Think of them as a pest similar to kudzu or buckthorn (invasive plants.) They take over the landscape and evict native species. Yes, it is the fault of humans that things like this happen. Consequently, it is also the responsibility of humans, especially those who are intentionally attracting birds to their yard with nest boxes and feeders, to do what they can to minimize or eliminate the problem. I can't go back 150 years and change what people did then, but I can certainly do something today in my own back yard!

For more info, check out the excellent sialis.org website. It is mainly focused on bluebirds, but also has a lot of information about cavity nesters in general and invasive species like house sparrows and starlings. See All About Starlings and Managing House Sparrows.