How should peanuts be prepared or presented to best attract Northern Flickers?

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To attract Northern Flickers to your yard during the winter months, peanuts can be a highly effective food source. Here are the best methods for preparing and presenting peanuts to attract these birds:

Preparation of Peanuts

1. Unsalted and Unroasted: Ensure the peanuts are unsalted and unroasted. Salted peanuts can be harmful to birds as they cannot metabolize salt the way humans do.
   

   

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2. Shelled or In-Shell: You can offer peanuts either shelled or in-shell. Shelled peanuts are easier for smaller birds to eat, while in-shell peanuts can be more challenging and engaging for larger birds like Northern Flickers.
   

   

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3. Peanut Hearts: Peanut hearts, which are small chips left when peanut halves are broken apart, are particularly valuable as they are small and can be eaten by many smaller species of birds.

Presentation of Peanuts

1. Peanut Feeders: Use specialized peanut feeders that have small holes or mesh to dispense the peanuts. These feeders can be tube feeders or mesh feeders, which allow birds to cling and extract the peanuts.
2. Platform Feeders: Place peanuts on platform feeders or scatter them on the ground. This method is effective for ground-feeding birds like Northern Flickers.
   

   

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3. Suet Feeders: Mix peanuts with suet to create high-energy suet cakes or nuggets. These can be placed in suet feeders, which are particularly attractive to woodpeckers, including Northern Flickers.
4. Homemade Treats: Create homemade bird treats by mixing peanut butter with other ingredients like sunflower seeds, dried mealworms, and fruit. These can be smeared on tree bark or placed in feeders.

Additional Tips

• Variety of Foods: Along with peanuts, offer a variety of other foods such as suet, black oil sunflower seeds, and mealworms to attract a diverse range of birds.
• Water Sources: Ensure there is a heated birdbath or water source available, as birds need fresh water to drink, even in winter.
• Nesting Sites: Provide nesting boxes or roosting sites to encourage flickers to linger in your yard, especially during the migration season.

By following these methods, you can effectively attract Northern Flickers and other birds to your yard during the cold winter months, providing them with the necessary nutrition to survive the season.