Red-headed Woodpeckers in Alabama
When red-headed woodpeckers are present in Alabama, when they nest, which native Alabama plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–9a yard.
- Status in Alabama
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7a–9a
When to expect red-headed woodpeckers in Alabama
Red-headed Woodpeckers live in Alabama all year. Freezes are short and snow is rare; feeder traffic peaks as goldfinches, siskins and sparrows arrive from the north. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward stored acorns and beechnuts.
Humid subtropical, with Gulf-influenced warmth in Mobile and Baldwin counties and cooler Appalachian foothills in the northeast.
Nesting in Alabama
Across Alabama, red-headed woodpeckers typically nest from April–July. Nest site: cavity in dead trees or limbs. Females lay 3–10 eggs, incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 24–31 days.
Long, humid summers with frequent thunderstorms — ventilated boxes and daily-refreshed water matter.
- Red-headed Woodpeckers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, serviceberry, white oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.
Native Alabama plants that attract red-headed woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Alabama, these 8 provide food or cover red-headed 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.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Feeding red-headed woodpeckers through the Alabama year
A declining open-woodland species that visits yards with large dead limbs left standing.
- Best foods: Suet, Peanuts, Sunflower.
- In Alabama's winter: Freezes are short and snow is rare; feeder traffic peaks as goldfinches, siskins and sparrows arrive from the north.
Full diet breakdown for red-headed woodpeckers · Best feeder for red-headed woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are red-headed woodpeckers in Alabama year-round?
Yes. Red-headed Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Alabama.
When do red-headed woodpeckers nest in Alabama?
Nesting in Alabama typically runs April–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 3–10 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract red-headed woodpeckers in Alabama?
Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush, Tall goldenrod are native plants in Alabama that provide food or cover for red-headed woodpeckers.
Red-headed Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Alabama
Sources
- Red-headed Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-headed Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-headed Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alabama
- 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.