Pileated Woodpeckers in New Jersey
When pileated woodpeckers are present in New Jersey, when they nest, which native New Jersey plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–7b yard.
- Status in New Jersey
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 6a–7b
When to expect pileated woodpeckers in New Jersey
Pileated Woodpeckers live in New Jersey all year. Moderate winters; Cape May and the shore hold many half-hardy birds. 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 continental to subtropical, from the Highlands in the north to the Pine Barrens and Cape May.
Nesting in New Jersey
Across New Jersey, 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; Cape May is a world-class migration funnel.
- 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 New Jersey plants that attract pileated woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for New Jersey, 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 New Jersey year
Pileateds visit backyards near mature woods and use large tail-prop suet feeders.
- Best foods: Suet.
- In New Jersey's winter: Moderate winters; Cape May and the shore hold many half-hardy birds.
Full diet breakdown for pileated woodpeckers · Best feeder for pileated woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are pileated woodpeckers in New Jersey year-round?
Yes. Pileated Woodpeckers are year-round residents in New Jersey.
When do pileated woodpeckers nest in New Jersey?
Nesting in New Jersey 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 New Jersey?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Black cherry are native plants in New Jersey that provide food or cover for pileated woodpeckers.
Pileated Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in New Jersey
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 — New Jersey
- 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.