When do red-headed woodpeckers arrive in Wisconsin?
The Red-headed Woodpecker is a summer breeder in Wisconsin — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Red-headed Woodpecker timing in Wisconsin
- Arrives
- Around May
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- June–July
- Present roughly
- May–August
In Wisconsin, red-headed woodpeckers are present through the warm months, arriving around May and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin. 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Wisconsin-native plants are known to attract red-headed 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.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do red-headed woodpeckers arrive in Wisconsin?
red-headed woodpeckers typically arrive in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
Most red-headed woodpeckers have left Wisconsin by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do red-headed woodpeckers stay in Wisconsin all year?
No — in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
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 — Wisconsin
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
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.