Gila Woodpeckers in New Mexico

Gila Woodpeckers live in New Mexico all year. Cold nights and sunny days; many desert and mountain birds move to lower elevations. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward mistletoe berries and feeders.

Arid to semi-arid, with Chihuahuan desert in the south and mountain forest above 7,000 ft.

Across New Mexico, gila woodpeckers typically nest from April–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.

Hot, dry early summer followed by the July–August monsoon.

• 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 New Mexico, 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 New Mexico's winter: Cold nights and sunny days; many desert and mountain birds move to lower elevations.

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