Ladder-backed Woodpeckers in Kansas
When ladder-backed woodpeckers are present in Kansas, when they nest, which native Kansas plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.
- Status in Kansas
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5b–7a
When to expect ladder-backed woodpeckers in Kansas
Ladder-backed Woodpeckers live in Kansas all year. Cold, dry winters with strong wind; windbreaks and evergreens are prime roost cover. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward insects.
Continental — humid tallgrass Flint Hills in the east to semi-arid shortgrass prairie in the west.
Nesting in Kansas
Across Kansas, ladder-backed woodpeckers typically nest from April–June. Nest site: cavity in yucca, agave or mesquite. Females lay 2–7 eggs, incubate for 13 days, and young leave the nest after about 20 days.
Hot summers above 95°F; western Kansas is dry, so water draws birds from far away.
- Ladder-backed Woodpeckers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, serviceberry, white oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Kansas plants that attract ladder-backed woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Kansas, these 8 provide food or cover ladder-backed woodpeckers use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
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.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Feeding ladder-backed woodpeckers through the Kansas year
A desert woodpecker of mesquite and cactus; small and quiet.
- Best foods: Suet.
- In Kansas's winter: Cold, dry winters with strong wind; windbreaks and evergreens are prime roost cover.
Full diet breakdown for ladder-backed woodpeckers · Best feeder for ladder-backed woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are ladder-backed woodpeckers in Kansas year-round?
Yes. Ladder-backed Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Kansas.
When do ladder-backed woodpeckers nest in Kansas?
Nesting in Kansas typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 2–7 eggs, incubated for 13 days.
What native plants attract ladder-backed woodpeckers in Kansas?
Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Spicebush, New England aster are native plants in Kansas that provide food or cover for ladder-backed woodpeckers.
Ladder-backed Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Kansas
Sources
- Ladder-backed Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Ladder-backed Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Ladder-backed Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Kansas
- 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.