Pileated Woodpeckers in Idaho
When pileated woodpeckers are present in Idaho, when they nest, which native Idaho plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–7b yard.
- Status in Idaho
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–7b
When to expect pileated woodpeckers in Idaho
Pileated Woodpeckers live in Idaho all year. Cold winters with inversions in the valleys; mountain finches and Bohemian Waxwings move into towns. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward beetle larvae, sumac and holly fruit.
Semi-arid sagebrush plains along the Snake River and forested mountains to the north and center.
Nesting in Idaho
Across Idaho, pileated woodpeckers typically nest from April–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.
Hot, dry summers in the Snake River Plain and cool mountain summers.
- Pileated Woodpeckers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as smooth sumac, paper birch, chokecherry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Idaho plants that attract pileated woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Idaho, these 8 provide food or cover pileated woodpeckers use:
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Red fruit persists until late winter when other food is gone.
Sweet dry fruit on the branch all winter.
Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.
Feeding pileated woodpeckers through the Idaho year
Pileateds visit backyards near mature woods and use large tail-prop suet feeders.
- Best foods: Suet.
- In Idaho's winter: Cold winters with inversions in the valleys; mountain finches and Bohemian Waxwings move into towns.
Full diet breakdown for pileated woodpeckers · Best feeder for pileated woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are pileated woodpeckers in Idaho year-round?
Yes. Pileated Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Idaho.
When do pileated woodpeckers nest in Idaho?
Nesting in Idaho typically runs April–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 15–18 days.
What native plants attract pileated woodpeckers in Idaho?
Smooth sumac, Tall goldenrod, Paper birch, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Highbush cranberry, Common hackberry, Rocky Mountain juniper are native plants in Idaho that provide food or cover for pileated woodpeckers.
Pileated Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Idaho
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 — Idaho
- 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.