Red-headed Woodpeckers in Missouri
When red-headed woodpeckers are present in Missouri, when they nest, which native Missouri plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7b yard.
- Status in Missouri
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5b–7b
When to expect red-headed woodpeckers in Missouri
Red-headed Woodpeckers live in Missouri all year. Cold winters with variable snow; ice storms can shut down natural food for days. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward stored acorns and beechnuts.
Humid continental, from the Ozark Plateau in the south to prairie and river floodplains in the north.
Nesting in Missouri
Across Missouri, red-headed woodpeckers typically nest from May–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.
Hot, humid summers.
- 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 Missouri plants that attract red-headed woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for Missouri, 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.
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.
Lipid-rich red fruit fuels fall migrants.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Feeding red-headed woodpeckers through the Missouri year
A declining open-woodland species that visits yards with large dead limbs left standing.
- Best foods: Suet, Peanuts, Sunflower.
- In Missouri's winter: Cold winters with variable snow; ice storms can shut down natural food for days.
Full diet breakdown for red-headed woodpeckers · Best feeder for red-headed woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are red-headed woodpeckers in Missouri year-round?
Yes. Red-headed Woodpeckers are year-round residents in Missouri.
When do red-headed woodpeckers nest in Missouri?
Nesting in Missouri typically runs May–July, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 3–10 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.
What native plants attract red-headed woodpeckers in Missouri?
Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Spicebush, New England aster are native plants in Missouri that provide food or cover for red-headed woodpeckers.
Red-headed Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in Missouri
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 — Missouri
- 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.