Red-bellied Woodpeckers in Delaware
When red-bellied woodpeckers are present in Delaware, when they nest, which native Delaware plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–8a yard.
- Status in Delaware
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 1–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7a–8a
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 6 × 6 in floor, 12–20 ft
When to expect red-bellied woodpeckers in Delaware
Red-bellied Woodpeckers live in Delaware all year. Mild winters with modest snow; coastal marshes draw huge numbers of wintering sparrows and blackbirds. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward acorns, pecans, pine seeds and fruit.
Humid subtropical to temperate coastal plain between Delaware Bay and the Atlantic.
Nesting in Delaware
Across Delaware, red-bellied woodpeckers typically nest from April–July. Nest site: excavated cavity in dead trees; occasionally large nest boxes. Females lay 4–5 eggs, incubate for 12 days, and young leave the nest after 22–27 days.
Hot, humid summers; bay-shore woodlots are important migrant stopovers in May.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before March — red-bellied woodpeckers begin prospecting ahead of egg-laying.
- Use a 2 1/2 in entrance on a 6 × 6 in floor, mounted 12–20 ft.
- Fit a pole baffle or hole guard; ventilation gaps and drainage holes are essential.
- Clean out old nests after each brood and again after July.
Native Delaware plants that attract red-bellied woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Delaware, these 8 provide food or cover red-bellied woodpeckers use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
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.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Feeding red-bellied woodpeckers through the Delaware year
A bold feeder visitor that also takes nectar and oranges. Cache-stores nuts in bark crevices.
- Best foods: Suet, Peanuts, Black-oil sunflower.
- In Delaware's winter: Mild winters with modest snow; coastal marshes draw huge numbers of wintering sparrows and blackbirds.
Full diet breakdown for red-bellied woodpeckers · Best feeder for red-bellied woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are red-bellied woodpeckers in Delaware year-round?
Yes. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Delaware.
When do red-bellied woodpeckers nest in Delaware?
Nesting in Delaware typically runs April–July, with 1–3 per season. Clutches are 4–5 eggs, incubated for 12 days.
What native plants attract red-bellied woodpeckers in Delaware?
Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush, New England aster are native plants in Delaware that provide food or cover for red-bellied woodpeckers.
What size birdhouse hole do red-bellied woodpeckers need?
2 1/2 in, with a floor of 6 × 6 in mounted 12–20 ft.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Delaware
Sources
- Red-bellied Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-bellied Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-bellied Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Delaware
- 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.