Diet
What do black-backed woodpeckers eat?
Wood-boring beetle larvae in recently burned forest.
Woodpeckers (Picidae)Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticus
Spring and summer diet
- Wood-boring beetle larvae in fire-killed trees
Fall and winter diet
- Beetle larvae under bark
Best feeder foods
- Suet (rarely, near burned forest)
A fire specialist — flocks move into burns within a year and leave as the beetles run out.
Where black-backed woodpeckers need winter food
Regions where black-backed woodpeckers are present in the cold months:
AlaskaAlbertaBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutIdahoMaineManitobaMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMontanaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanUtahVermontWashingtonWisconsinWyomingYukon
Frequently asked
What do black-backed woodpeckers eat?
Wood-boring beetle larvae in recently burned forest.
What is the best food to feed black-backed woodpeckers?
Suet (rarely, near burned forest).
What do black-backed woodpeckers eat in winter?
Beetle larvae under bark.
Sources
- Black-backed Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Black-backed Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Black-backed Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
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.