Diet
What do red-bellied woodpeckers eat?
Insects, nuts, seeds and fruit.
Woodpeckers (Picidae)Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinus
Spring and summer diet
- Beetle larvae, ants and grasshoppers
Fall and winter diet
- Acorns, pecans, pine seeds and fruit
Best feeder foods
- Suet
- Peanuts
- Black-oil sunflower
A bold feeder visitor that also takes nectar and oranges. Cache-stores nuts in bark crevices.
Where red-bellied woodpeckers need winter food
Regions where red-bellied woodpeckers are present in the cold months:
AlabamaArkansasConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriNebraskaNew JerseyNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaOntarioPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasVirginiaWest VirginiaWisconsin
Frequently asked
What do red-bellied woodpeckers eat?
Insects, nuts, seeds and fruit.
What is the best food to feed red-bellied woodpeckers?
Suet, Peanuts, Black-oil sunflower.
What do red-bellied woodpeckers eat in winter?
Acorns, pecans, pine seeds and fruit.
Sources
- Red-bellied Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-bellied Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-bellied Woodpecker — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- NestWatch nest box plans and species requirements — Cornell Lab
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.