Pileated Woodpeckers in California

Pileated Woodpeckers live in California all year — northern and Sierra forests. Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward beetle larvae, sumac and holly fruit.

Mediterranean along the coast and Central Valley, alpine in the Sierra Nevada, and desert in the southeast.

Across California, 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.

Dry summers with little rain from May to October; water and summer-blooming natives matter more than extra seed.

• Pileated Woodpeckers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as smooth sumac, chokecherry, red-osier dogwood for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.

Of the regional native plants we track for California, these 8 provide food or cover pileated woodpeckers use:

Pileateds visit backyards near mature woods and use large tail-prop suet feeders.

• Best foods: Suet.
• In California's winter: Wet, mild winters are the green season — the busiest time at coastal feeders as sparrows and hummingbirds settle in.

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