Red-bellied Woodpeckers in Ontario
When red-bellied woodpeckers are present in Ontario, when they nest, which native Ontario plants feed them, and how to host them in a Canadian zones 0a–7a yard.
- Status in Ontario
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–July
- Broods
- 1–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- Canadian zones 0a–7a (southern Ontario roughly equivalent to USDA 4–6)
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 6 × 6 in floor, 12–20 ft
When to expect red-bellied woodpeckers in Ontario
Red-bellied Woodpeckers live in Ontario all year. Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches. 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 continental in the south, boreal and subarctic in the north; most backyard birding happens in the southern Great Lakes lowlands.
Nesting in Ontario
Across Ontario, red-bellied woodpeckers typically nest from May–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.
Short, warm summers; Point Pelee and Long Point are continent-famous migration sites.
- Have boxes cleaned and mounted before April — 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 Ontario plants that attract red-bellied woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Ontario, these 8 provide food or cover red-bellied woodpeckers use:
Insects, seeds and cavities.
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.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
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.
Feeding red-bellied woodpeckers through the Ontario 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 Ontario's winter: Cold, snowy winters; feeder flocks are dominated by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers and finches.
Full diet breakdown for red-bellied woodpeckers · Best feeder for red-bellied woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are red-bellied woodpeckers in Ontario year-round?
Yes. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Ontario.
When do red-bellied woodpeckers nest in Ontario?
Nesting in Ontario typically runs May–July, with 1–3 per season. Clutches are 4–5 eggs, incubated for 12 days.
What native plants attract red-bellied woodpeckers in Ontario?
Sugar maple, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Ontario 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 Ontario
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 — Ontario
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas — Birds Canada
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.