Red-bellied Woodpeckers in Pennsylvania
When red-bellied woodpeckers are present in Pennsylvania, when they nest, which native Pennsylvania plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.
- Status in Pennsylvania
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 1–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–7b
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 6 × 6 in floor, 12–20 ft
When to expect red-bellied woodpeckers in Pennsylvania
Red-bellied Woodpeckers live in Pennsylvania all year. Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state. 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; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.
Nesting in Pennsylvania
Across Pennsylvania, 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.
Warm summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.
- 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 Pennsylvania plants that attract red-bellied woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover red-bellied woodpeckers use:
Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.
Acorns and insects.
Fall seed.
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.
Blue-black fall fruit and dense nesting cover.
Feeding red-bellied woodpeckers through the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania's winter: Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state.
Full diet breakdown for red-bellied woodpeckers · Best feeder for red-bellied woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are red-bellied woodpeckers in Pennsylvania year-round?
Yes. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Pennsylvania.
When do red-bellied woodpeckers nest in Pennsylvania?
Nesting in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
Black cherry, White oak, New England aster, Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, Bur oak, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum are native plants in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania
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 — Pennsylvania
- 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.