Black-backed Woodpeckers in Alaska
When black-backed woodpeckers are present in Alaska, when they nest, which native Alaska plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 1a–8a yard.
- Status in Alaska
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- June–July
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1a–8a
When to expect black-backed woodpeckers in Alaska
Black-backed Woodpeckers live in Alaska all year. Interior winters reach −40°F with under four hours of daylight; resident chickadees and redpolls depend on high-fat food. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them.
Subarctic interior, temperate rainforest in the Southeast panhandle, and Arctic tundra on the North Slope.
Nesting in Alaska
Across Alaska, black-backed woodpeckers typically nest from June–July. Plan around that window: May for setup, July for clean-out.
A short, explosive summer with near-continuous daylight compresses nesting into a few weeks.
- Black-backed Woodpeckers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as paper birch, white spruce, black spruce for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Alaska plants that attract black-backed woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Alaska, these 6 provide food or cover black-backed woodpeckers use:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
Persistent cones in boreal bogs.
Deciduous conifer with small cones for siskins and redpolls.
Early catkins draw insects for arriving warblers and hummingbirds.
Catkin seed for redpolls on the tundra.
Feeding black-backed woodpeckers through the Alaska year
- Top foods: Suet (rarely, near burned forest).
- In Alaska's winter: Interior winters reach −40°F with under four hours of daylight; resident chickadees and redpolls depend on high-fat food.
Full diet breakdown for black-backed woodpeckers · Best feeder for black-backed woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are black-backed woodpeckers in Alaska year-round?
Yes. Black-backed Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Alaska.
When do black-backed woodpeckers nest in Alaska?
Nesting in Alaska typically runs June–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–6 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract black-backed woodpeckers in Alaska?
Paper birch, White spruce, Black spruce, Tamarack, Willow (Bebb), Dwarf birch are native plants in Alaska that provide food or cover for black-backed woodpeckers.
Black-backed Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Alaska
Sources
- Black-backed Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Black-backed Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Black-backed Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alaska
- 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.