Northern flickers hammering homes at record pace this spring
Calls about woodpecker damage have tripled this year, with builders handling over 50 reports weekly. Homes with synthetic stucco are most vulnerable to the protected birds.
Homeowners are reporting unprecedented damage from northern flickers this spring, with pest control and construction companies fielding a flood of distress calls.
Eric Ararat, president of Weststar Wall Systems Ltd., said his company is having a record-breaking year. "Last year, we were getting 25 to 30 calls a week, and now last week, believe it or not, it was over 50 calls, just on northern flickers. It's always been an upward trend, but this year is just unbelievable." Overall, he estimates calls have tripled over previous years.
Homes with EIFS synthetic stucco siding tend to see the most damage. The birds find it easy to peck through the thin material, particularly because styrofoam sits behind the stucco. Once flickers start nesting, holes multiply rapidly.
Simple repairs rarely solve the problem. "Since these birds are territorial, they do come back to the same spot literally within a day or next day," Ararat said. The permanent solution is a two-coat acrylic application called ShieldIt, applied over existing walls. The process takes three to four days and comes with a 10-year warranty against flicker damage.
Bird Friendly Calgary's Sara Jordan-McLachlan noted that winter bird counts show flicker populations rising. This year's Christmas Bird Count recorded 623 flickers—a record high and more than double the 15-year average. The increase correlates with habitat loss: flickers typically nest in older poplars, but the city has been removing many as part of densification.
Flickers are protected under federal law and cannot be killed. Hanging reflective objects like old CDs sometimes deters them, though some birds ignore deterrents. Setting up nesting boxes designed for flickers can redirect them away from house siding. Bird advocates note that while flickers cause frustration, their presence signals healthy insect populations—good news for all local bird species.