Pileated Woodpeckers in Kansas

Pileated 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 beetle larvae, sumac and holly fruit.

Continental — humid tallgrass Flint Hills in the east to semi-arid shortgrass prairie in the west.

Across Kansas, 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 summers above 95°F; western Kansas is dry, so water draws birds from far away.

• 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.

Of the regional native plants we track for Kansas, 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 Kansas's winter: Cold, dry winters with strong wind; windbreaks and evergreens are prime roost cover.

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