Pileated Woodpeckers in Maryland
When pileated woodpeckers are present in Maryland, when they nest, which native Maryland plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–8a yard.
- Status in Maryland
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 6a–8a
When to expect pileated woodpeckers in Maryland
Pileated Woodpeckers live in Maryland all year. Mild winters in the east with regular snow in the western mountains. 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 on the Chesapeake coastal plain, cooler in the Appalachian west.
Nesting in Maryland
Across Maryland, 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, humid summers around the Chesapeake.
- 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 Maryland plants that attract pileated woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Maryland, 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.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
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.
Feeding pileated woodpeckers through the Maryland year
Pileateds visit backyards near mature woods and use large tail-prop suet feeders.
- Best foods: Suet.
- In Maryland's winter: Mild winters in the east with regular snow in the western mountains.
Full diet breakdown for pileated woodpeckers · Best feeder for pileated woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are pileated woodpeckers in Maryland year-round?
Yes. Pileated Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Maryland.
When do pileated woodpeckers nest in Maryland?
Nesting in Maryland 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 Maryland?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Black cherry are native plants in Maryland that provide food or cover for pileated woodpeckers.
Pileated Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Maryland
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 — Maryland
- 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.