Red-bellied Woodpeckers in Virginia
When red-bellied woodpeckers are present in Virginia, when they nest, which native Virginia plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–8a yard.
- Status in Virginia
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 1–3 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5b–8a
- Nest box
- 2 1/2 in hole, 6 × 6 in floor, 12–20 ft
When to expect red-bellied woodpeckers in Virginia
Red-bellied Woodpeckers live in Virginia all year. Moderate winters with periodic snow; purple finches and occasional northern finches visit feeders. 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 in the east, cooler and snowier in the Blue Ridge and Allegheny highlands.
Nesting in Virginia
Across Virginia, 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, humid summers; House Wrens and hummingbirds breed statewide.
- 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 Virginia plants that attract red-bellied woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Virginia, these 8 provide food or cover red-bellied woodpeckers use:
Fall fruit.
High-fat red berries and caterpillar host.
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.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Feeding red-bellied woodpeckers through the Virginia 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 Virginia's winter: Moderate winters with periodic snow; purple finches and occasional northern finches visit feeders.
Full diet breakdown for red-bellied woodpeckers · Best feeder for red-bellied woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are red-bellied woodpeckers in Virginia year-round?
Yes. Red-bellied Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Virginia.
When do red-bellied woodpeckers nest in Virginia?
Nesting in Virginia 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 Virginia?
Flowering dogwood, Spicebush, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, New England aster are native plants in Virginia 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 Virginia
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 — Virginia
- 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.