Bird
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Lives in Louisiana all year and nests here. Found in all 64 parishes, across 16 habitats.
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 64 parishes
- Habitats
- 16

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- All year
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 64 parishes
- Habitats
- 16
- Habitat models
- Summer, Winter
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Louisiana 16
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.
Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.
Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.
Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.
Flat, sandy Coastal Plain pine woodlands, wetter than sandhills and denser than savannas.
Open, fire-kept longleaf pine stands over grasses and wildflowers on wet to moist sandy soil.
Places where groundwater keeps the soil or rock wet, such as seepage slopes and spring runs.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.
Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.
Open, grass-dominated places kept open by fire, grazing or thin soil, from tallgrass prairie to Piedmont prairies.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Other habitats in its models (188)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Louisiana. Those recorded in Louisiana first, the rest by region.
In Louisiana 4
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Catahoula Barrens Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
Elsewhere in the South (89)
- Appalachian Shale Barrens Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Wet Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Summer and winter.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- Central and Upper Texas Coast Dune and Coastal Grassland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Central Atlantic Coastal Plain Wet Longleaf Pine Savanna and Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- Central Florida Pine Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Cumberland Riverscour Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Dune and Coastal Grassland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Summer and winter.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
- Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Florida Dry Prairie Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Florida Peninsula Inland Scrub Summer and winter.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Summer and winter.
- Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Summer and winter.
- Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Summer and winter.
- Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Summer and winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Summer and winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Summer and winter.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Summer and winter.
- South Florida Bayhead Swamp Summer and winter.
- South Florida Cypress Dome Summer and winter.
- South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Summer and winter.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Summer and winter.
- South Florida Pine Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- South Florida Pine Rockland Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Wet Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Small Stream and Riparian Summer and winter.
- Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer and winter.
- Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Southeastern Interior Longleaf Pine Woodland Summer and winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Summer and winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Appalachian Granitic Dome Summer and winter.
- Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Southern Appalachian Low Mountain Pine Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Appalachian Montane Pine Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Southern Blackland Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Southern Coastal Plain Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Hydric Hammock Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock Summer and winter.
- Southern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Granite Flatrock Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Small Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer and winter.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Summer and winter.
- Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer and winter.
- Southwest Florida Dune and Coastal Grassland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Texas Saline Coastal Prairie Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nepheline Syenite Glade Summer and winter.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Calcareous Prairie Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Western Great Plains Mesquite Woodland and Shrubland Summer and winter.
Northeast (10)
- Acadian Low-Elevation Spruce-Fir-Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Summer and winter.
- Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Pine Barrens Summer and winter.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Summer and winter.
Midwest (11)
- Central Interior Calcareous Cliff and Talus Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Central Mixedgrass Prairie Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Central Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Oak Savanna Summer and winter.
- North-Central Interior Sand and Gravel Tallgrass Prairie Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- North-Central Oak Barrens Summer and winter.
- Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Summer and winter.
Land cover and other classes (74)
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Hardwood Summer and winter.
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Arkansas Valley Prairie and Woodland Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-Line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Summer and winter.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Summer and winter.
- Central Appalachian Floodplain - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Riparian Systems Summer and winter.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Shrub-Herbaceous Wetland Systems Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Central Interior and Appalachian Swamp Systems Summer and winter.
- Developed, Low Intensity Summer and winter.
- Developed, Medium Intensity Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Loblolly Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Open Understory Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Prairie and Woodland Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Summer and winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
- Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow, Prairie, and Marsh Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Eastern Highland Rim Prairie and Barrens - Dry Modifier Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Open Understory Modifier Summer and winter.
- Florida Longleaf Pine Sandhill - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer and winter.
- Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Introduced Upland Vegetation - Treed Summer and winter.
- Modified/Managed Southern Tall Grassland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- Recently Burned Grassland Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Recently Burned Shrubland Summer and winter.
- Recently Logged Areas Summer and winter.
- South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Summer and winter.
- Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Herbaceous Modifier Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Shrub Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Bay/Gum Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Nupea Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Taxodium Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont Large Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer and winter.
- Southern Piedmont/Ridge and Valley Upland Depression Swamp Summer and winter.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer and winter.
- Tamaulipan Riparian Systems Summer and winter.
- Unconsolidated Shore Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Summer and winter, beside its main habitat.
- Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer and winter.
Seasons in Louisiana
- Year-round: nests here, in all 64 parishes.
Food plants
Diet records by plant genus, from studies across North America. Not a record from this state. Plants matched by genus.
No native plants of these genera are recorded in Louisiana.
Plant genera in its diet records (1)
- Zea Seeds. 1 diet record. 0 native plants in Louisiana
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Louisiana, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Northern Flicker uses many habitats in Louisiana; these are its 3 most characteristic.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Birds 108
- Black-chinned HummingbirdArchilochus alexandri
- VeeryCatharus fuscescens
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- Bell's VireoVireo bellii
- Northern ParulaParula americana
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
Plants 267
- Elliott's BlueberryVaccinium elliottii
- Possumhaw HollyIlex decidua
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- PondberryLindera melissifolia
- Blunt Broom SedgeCarex tribuloides
- Louisiana SedgeCarex louisianica
- Smooth Hedge-nettleStachys tenuifolia
- Common Cup-plantSilphium perfoliatum
- Heartleaf NettleUrtica chamaedryoides
- Clustered FescueFestuca paradoxa
- American BladdernutStaphylea trifolia
Swamps
Birds 119
- Seaside SparrowAmmodramus maritimus
- Wilson's PloverCharadrius wilsonia
- Eurasian WigeonAnas penelope
- Northern ParulaParula americana
- Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
- Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Reddish EgretEgretta rufescens
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres
Plants 237
- Black Highbush BlueberryVaccinium fuscatum
- Dahoon HollyIlex cassine
- May HawthornCrataegus aestivalis
- Dense-flower SmartweedPersicaria densiflora
- Carolina AshFraxinus caroliniana
- Water HickoryCarya aquatica
- Swamp TupeloNyssa biflora
- Bent SedgeCarex styloflexa
- Cypress-swamp SedgeCarex joorii
- Dark-green SedgeCarex venusta
- Fringed SedgeCarex crinita
- Ravenfoot SedgeCarex crus-corvi
Hardwood and oak flatwoods
Birds 92
- Bachman's SparrowAimophila aestivalis
- Lark SparrowChondestes grammacus
- Red-cockaded WoodpeckerPicoides borealis
- Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivacea
- Brown-headed NuthatchSitta pusilla
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- Kentucky WarblerOporornis formosus
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Eastern PhoebeSayornis phoebe
- Bewick's WrenThryomanes bewickii
Plants 11
- Barrens MilkweedAsclepias hirtella
- Barbed Rattlesnake RootPrenanthes barbata
- Rafinesque's SeedboxLudwigia hirtella
- Longs SedgeCarex longii
- Bushs MuhlyMuhlenbergia bushii
- Nutmeg HickoryCarya myristiciformis
- Wolf's SpikerushEleocharis wolfii
- Dwarf PalmettoSabal minor
- PecanCarya illinoinensis
- Lanceleaf GreenbrierSmilax smallii
- Cat GreenbrierSmilax glauca
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP winter habitat model for Northern Flicker Elevation sea level to 1,219 m. Avoids forest interior
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)
- Avian Diet Database (Hurlbert Lab) (CC0 1.0), diet records by plant genus





















































