When do red-headed woodpeckers arrive in Ontario?
The Red-headed Woodpecker is a summer breeder in Ontario — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Red-headed Woodpecker timing in Ontario
- Arrives
- Around May
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- June–July
- Present roughly
- May–August
In Ontario, red-headed woodpeckers are present through the warm months, arriving around May and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Ontario sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when red-headed woodpeckers are expected in Ontario. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before May is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early May — the first red-headed woodpeckers into Ontario are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around June, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What red-headed woodpeckers eat while they're here
- Flying insects and beetles
A declining open-woodland species that visits yards with large dead limbs left standing.
Full Red-headed Woodpecker diet guide → · Best feeder for red-headed woodpeckers →
Native plants that hold red-headed woodpeckers in Ontario
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Ontario-native plants are known to attract red-headed woodpeckers:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do red-headed woodpeckers arrive in Ontario?
red-headed woodpeckers typically arrive in Ontario around May, with nesting underway by June. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do red-headed woodpeckers leave Ontario?
Most red-headed woodpeckers have left Ontario by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do red-headed woodpeckers stay in Ontario all year?
No — in Ontario the Red-headed Woodpecker is a summer breeder, present roughly May–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before red-headed woodpeckers arrive in Ontario?
Have feeders up and clean by early May — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: flying insects and beetles.
Sources
- Red-headed Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-headed Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-headed Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.