Red-headed Woodpeckers in West Virginia
When red-headed woodpeckers are present in West Virginia, when they nest, which native West Virginia plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.
- Status in West Virginia
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–July
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5b–7a
When to expect red-headed woodpeckers in West Virginia
Red-headed Woodpeckers live in West Virginia all year. Snowy winters at elevation; valleys milder. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward stored acorns and beechnuts.
Humid continental Appalachian state with high ridges and deep river valleys.
Nesting in West Virginia
Across West Virginia, 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.
Warm, humid summers; high ridges host northern breeders.
- 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 West Virginia plants that attract red-headed woodpeckers
Of the regional native plants we track for West Virginia, 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 West Virginia year
A declining open-woodland species that visits yards with large dead limbs left standing.
- Best foods: Suet, Peanuts, Sunflower.
- In West Virginia's winter: Snowy winters at elevation; valleys milder.
Full diet breakdown for red-headed woodpeckers · Best feeder for red-headed woodpeckers
Frequently asked
Are red-headed woodpeckers in West Virginia year-round?
Yes. Red-headed Woodpeckers are year-round residents in West Virginia.
When do red-headed woodpeckers nest in West Virginia?
Nesting in West Virginia 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 West Virginia?
Flowering dogwood, Serviceberry, White oak, Black cherry, American elderberry, Arrowwood viburnum, Spicebush, New England aster are native plants in West Virginia that provide food or cover for red-headed woodpeckers.
Red-headed Woodpeckers in other regions
Other backyard birds in West Virginia
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 — West 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.