Pileated Woodpeckers in Mississippi
When pileated woodpeckers are present in Mississippi, when they nest, which native Mississippi plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7b–9a yard.
- Status in Mississippi
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7b–9a
When to expect pileated woodpeckers in Mississippi
Pileated Woodpeckers live in Mississippi all year. Mild winters with rare hard freezes. 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 the Delta in the northwest, piney woods in the south and a short Gulf coastline.
Nesting in Mississippi
Across Mississippi, 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, hot, humid summers.
- 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 Mississippi plants that attract pileated woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Mississippi, 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 Mississippi year
Pileateds visit backyards near mature woods and use large tail-prop suet feeders.
- Best foods: Suet.
- In Mississippi's winter: Mild winters with rare hard freezes.
Full diet breakdown for pileated woodpeckers · Best feeder for pileated woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are pileated woodpeckers in Mississippi year-round?
Yes. Pileated Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Mississippi.
When do pileated woodpeckers nest in Mississippi?
Nesting in Mississippi 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 Mississippi?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Smooth sumac, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry are native plants in Mississippi that provide food or cover for pileated woodpeckers.
Pileated Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Mississippi
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 — Mississippi
- 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.