Diet
What do pileated woodpeckers eat?
Carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae; wild fruit.
Woodpeckers (Picidae)Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatus
Spring and summer diet
- Carpenter ants
Fall and winter diet
- Beetle larvae, sumac and holly fruit
Best feeder foods
- Suet
Pileateds visit backyards near mature woods and use large tail-prop suet feeders.
Where pileated woodpeckers need winter food
Regions where pileated woodpeckers are present in the cold months:
AlabamaAlbertaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineManitobaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorthwest TerritoriesNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandQuebecRhode IslandSaskatchewanSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsin
Frequently asked
What do pileated woodpeckers eat?
Carpenter ants and wood-boring beetle larvae; wild fruit.
What is the best food to feed pileated woodpeckers?
Suet.
What do pileated woodpeckers eat in winter?
Beetle larvae, sumac and holly fruit.
Sources
- Pileated Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pileated Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Pileated 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.