Pileated Woodpeckers in Vermont
When pileated woodpeckers are present in Vermont, when they nest, which native Vermont plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3b–5b yard.
- Status in Vermont
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3b–5b
When to expect pileated woodpeckers in Vermont
Pileated Woodpeckers live in Vermont all year. Long, snowy winters. 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, with the Green Mountains and the Champlain Valley.
Nesting in Vermont
Across Vermont, pileated woodpeckers typically nest from May–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.
Short, mild summers.
- Pileated Woodpeckers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as eastern red cedar, serviceberry, winterberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Vermont plants that attract pileated woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Vermont, these 8 provide food or cover pileated woodpeckers use:
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.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding pileated woodpeckers through the Vermont year
Pileateds visit backyards near mature woods and use large tail-prop suet feeders.
- Best foods: Suet.
- In Vermont's winter: Long, snowy winters.
Full diet breakdown for pileated woodpeckers · Best feeder for pileated woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are pileated woodpeckers in Vermont year-round?
Yes. Pileated Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Vermont.
When do pileated woodpeckers nest in Vermont?
Nesting in Vermont typically runs May–June, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 15–18 days.
What native plants attract pileated woodpeckers in Vermont?
Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry are native plants in Vermont that provide food or cover for pileated woodpeckers.
Pileated Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Vermont
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 — Vermont
- 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.