Hairy Woodpeckers in Maine
When hairy woodpeckers are present in Maine, when they nest, which native Maine plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–6b yard.
- Status in Maine
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–6b
- 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 Maine
Hairy Woodpeckers live in Maine all year. Long, snowy winters; boreal finches and Pine Grosbeaks irrupt south in poor cone years. 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.
Humid continental with a long, rocky Atlantic coast and extensive northern spruce-fir forest.
Nesting in Maine
Across Maine, 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.
Cool, short summers; many songbirds do not begin nesting until late May.
- 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 Maine plants that attract hairy woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Maine, these 8 provide food or cover hairy woodpeckers use:
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Feeding hairy woodpeckers through the Maine 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 Maine's winter: Long, snowy winters; boreal finches and Pine Grosbeaks irrupt south in poor cone years.
Full diet breakdown for hairy woodpeckers · Best feeder for hairy woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are hairy woodpeckers in Maine year-round?
Yes. Hairy Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Maine.
When do hairy woodpeckers nest in Maine?
Nesting in Maine 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 Maine?
Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush, New England aster are native plants in Maine 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 Maine
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 — Maine
- 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.