Gila Woodpeckers in Arizona

Gila Woodpeckers live in Arizona all year. Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward mistletoe berries and feeders.

Hot Sonoran and Mojave deserts in the south and west, with pine-oak sky islands and the Colorado Plateau rising above 7,000 ft.

Across Arizona, gila woodpeckers typically nest from March–July. Nest site: cavity in saguaro or trees. Females lay 3–5 eggs, incubate for about 14 days, and young leave the nest after about 28 days.

Summer highs above 110°F in Phoenix and Tucson make water the single strongest attractant; the July monsoon triggers a second breeding pulse.

• Gila Woodpeckers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as smooth sumac, black cherry, american elderberry for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Of the regional native plants we track for Arizona, these 8 provide food or cover gila woodpeckers use:

Excavates saguaro cavities later used by owls, flycatchers and martins; visits hummingbird and oriole feeders.

• Best foods: Suet, Oranges, Nectar, Sunflower.
• In Arizona's winter: Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow.

Full diet breakdown for gila woodpeckers · Best feeder for gila woodpeckers