How to attract hairy woodpeckers to your yard
Hairy Woodpeckers respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 61 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. The Hairy Woodpecker is a year-round resident in 61 states and provinces, including Alabama, Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, British Columbia and 55 more — there, a yard can host it in every season.
Plant what hairy woodpeckers use
These native plants are tied to the Hairy Woodpecker in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis | Shrub | 43 | Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species. |
| Black cherry Prunus serotina | Tree | 43 | Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees. |
| Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea | Tree | 39 | Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed. |
| White oak Quercus alba | Tree | 37 | Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food. |
| Flowering dogwood Cornus florida | Tree | 30 | Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers. |
| Spicebush Lindera benzoin | Shrub | 30 | Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants. |
| Arrowwood viburnum Viburnum dentatum | Shrub | 29 | Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover. |
| Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa | Tree | 29 | Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load. |
| New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae | Perennial | 27 | Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows. |
| Tall goldenrod Solidago altissima | Perennial | 27 | Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (shrub, tree, perennial). Layering matters: mixing shrub, tree, perennial gives hairy woodpeckers food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Mostly insects dug from wood, including wood-boring beetle larvae; also seeds and suet.
- Warm months
- Wood-boring beetle larvae and ants; Caterpillars and moth pupae
- Cold months
- Bark beetles and larvae; Suet and peanuts at feeders
- At feeders
- Suet, Shelled peanuts, Black-oil sunflower
Feeder style matters as much as food: tail-prop suet feeder is the first choice for this bird. Warier than Downy and more tied to mature trees. Expect visits mainly in colder months, on suet placed near large trunks. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Excavates in dead or living trees with heart rot.
The Hairy Woodpecker uses nest boxes with a 1 1/2 in round entrance, mounted 8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings. Exact box dimensions →
- Clutch
- 3–6 eggs
- Incubation
- 11–15 days
- Nestling period
- 28–30 days
- Broods per year
- 1 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around March in Alabama but not until May in Yukon. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; residents usually find a stocked yard first.
Frequently asked
What attracts hairy woodpeckers to a yard?
Food they actually eat (suet, shelled peanuts, black-oil sunflower), native plants such as American elderberry, Black cherry, Serviceberry, clean water and suitable nesting cover: excavates in dead or living trees with heart rot.
What plants attract hairy woodpeckers?
Across the Hairy Woodpecker's range, the native plants most often tied to it are American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), Black cherry (Prunus serotina), Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), White oak (Quercus alba), Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting hairy woodpeckers?
Nesting starts around March in Alabama and as late as May in Yukon. Have cover, water and nest boxes ready a month before.
Sources
- Hairy Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Hairy Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Hairy Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- 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.