Pileated Woodpeckers in Alabama
When pileated woodpeckers are present in Alabama, when they nest, which native Alabama plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–9a yard.
- Status in Alabama
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7a–9a
When to expect pileated woodpeckers in Alabama
Pileated Woodpeckers live in Alabama all year. Freezes are short and snow is rare; feeder traffic peaks as goldfinches, siskins and sparrows arrive from the north. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward beetle larvae, sumac and holly fruit.
Humid subtropical, with Gulf-influenced warmth in Mobile and Baldwin counties and cooler Appalachian foothills in the northeast.
Nesting in Alabama
Across Alabama, pileated woodpeckers typically nest from March–June. Nest site: large excavated cavity in dead trees. Females lay 3–5 eggs, incubate for 15–18 days, and young leave the nest after 24–31 days.
Long, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms — ventilated boxes and daily-refreshed water matter.
- Pileated Woodpeckers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Alabama plants that attract pileated woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Alabama, these 8 provide food or cover pileated woodpeckers use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Feeding pileated woodpeckers through the Alabama year
Pileateds visit backyards near mature woods and use large tail-prop suet feeders.
- Best foods: Suet.
- In Alabama's winter: Freezes are short and snow is rare; feeder traffic peaks as goldfinches, siskins and sparrows arrive from the north.
Full diet breakdown for pileated woodpeckers · Best feeder for pileated woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are pileated woodpeckers in Alabama year-round?
Yes. Pileated Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Alabama.
When do pileated woodpeckers nest in Alabama?
Nesting in Alabama typically runs March–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 15–18 days.
What native plants attract pileated woodpeckers in Alabama?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Smooth sumac, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry are native plants in Alabama that provide food or cover for pileated woodpeckers.
Pileated Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Alabama
Sources
- Pileated Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pileated Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pileated Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alabama
- 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.