Red-headed Woodpeckers in New Jersey
When red-headed woodpeckers are present in New Jersey, when they nest, which native New Jersey plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–7b yard.
- Status in New Jersey
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 6a–7b
When to expect red-headed woodpeckers in New Jersey
Red-headed Woodpeckers live in New Jersey all year. Moderate winters; Cape May and the shore hold many half-hardy birds. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward stored acorns and beechnuts.
Humid continental to subtropical, from the Highlands in the north to the Pine Barrens and Cape May.
Nesting in New Jersey
Across New Jersey, 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; Cape May is a world-class migration funnel.
- 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 New Jersey plants that attract red-headed woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for New Jersey, 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.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Feeding red-headed woodpeckers through the New Jersey year
A declining open-woodland species that visits yards with large dead limbs left standing.
- Best foods: Suet, Peanuts, Sunflower.
- In New Jersey's winter: Moderate winters; Cape May and the shore hold many half-hardy birds.
Full diet breakdown for red-headed woodpeckers · Best feeder for red-headed woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are red-headed woodpeckers in New Jersey year-round?
Yes. Red-headed Woodpeckers are year-round residents in New Jersey.
When do red-headed woodpeckers nest in New Jersey?
Nesting in New Jersey 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 New Jersey?
Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush, New England aster are native plants in New Jersey that provide food or cover for red-headed woodpeckers.
Red-headed Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in New Jersey
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 — New Jersey
- 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.