Hairy Woodpeckers in Alaska
When hairy 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
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 1a–8a
- Nest box
- 1 1/2 in round hole, 6 × 6 in floor, 8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings
When to expect hairy woodpeckers in Alaska
Hairy 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: their winter diet shifts toward bark beetles and larvae; suet and peanuts at feeders.
Subarctic interior, temperate rainforest in the Southeast panhandle, and Arctic tundra on the North Slope.
Nesting in Alaska
Across Alaska, hairy woodpeckers typically nest from May–June. Nest site: excavates in dead or living trees with heart rot. Females lay 3–6 eggs, incubate for 11–15 days, and young leave the nest after 28–30 days.
A short, explosive summer with near-continuous daylight compresses nesting into a few weeks.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — hairy woodpeckers begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
- Use a 1 1/2 in round entrance on a 6 × 6 in floor, mounted 8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings.
- Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
- Clean out old nests after each brood and again after June.
Native Alaska plants that attract hairy woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Alaska, these 5 provide food or cover hairy woodpeckers use:
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Cone crops drive winter irruptions of finches and crossbills.
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 hairy woodpeckers through the Alaska year
Warier than Downy and more tied to mature trees. Expect visits mainly in colder months, on suet placed near large trunks.
- Best foods: Suet, Shelled peanuts, Black-oil sunflower.
- 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 hairy woodpeckers · Best feeder for hairy woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are hairy woodpeckers in Alaska year-round?
Yes. Hairy Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Alaska.
When do hairy woodpeckers nest in Alaska?
Nesting in Alaska typically runs May–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–6 eggs, incubated for 11–15 days.
What native plants attract hairy woodpeckers in Alaska?
Paper birch, White spruce, Tamarack, Willow (Bebb), Dwarf birch are native plants in Alaska that provide food or cover for hairy woodpeckers.
What size birdhouse hole do hairy woodpeckers need?
1 1/2 in round, with a floor of 6 × 6 in mounted 8–20 ft, box packed with wood shavings.
Hairy Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Alaska
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
- 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.