Diet
What do white-headed woodpeckers eat?
Pine seeds pried from cones, plus bark insects.
Woodpeckers (Picidae)White-headed WoodpeckerDryobates albolarvatus
Spring and summer diet
- Ants, beetle larvae and pine seeds
Fall and winter diet
- Ponderosa and sugar pine seeds
Best feeder foods
- Suet
- Black-oil sunflower
A ponderosa-pine specialist of western mountains; visits cabin feeders in pine country.
Where white-headed woodpeckers need winter food
Regions where white-headed woodpeckers are present in the cold months:
Frequently asked
What do white-headed woodpeckers eat?
Pine seeds pried from cones, plus bark insects.
What is the best food to feed white-headed woodpeckers?
Suet, Black-oil sunflower.
What do white-headed woodpeckers eat in winter?
Ponderosa and sugar pine seeds.
Sources
- White-headed Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- White-headed Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- White-headed 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.