Black-backed Woodpecker in July
Where black-backed woodpeckers are in July, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
July in the Black-backed Woodpecker's year
July is the quietest month for bird song but one of the busiest for bird life. Many species are on second broods, young birds from first broods are independent, and natural food — insects, ripening fruit and seeds — is abundant. In the far South the first southbound shorebirds are already moving.
For the Black-backed Woodpecker specifically, July is a summer month inside the nesting season — one of the most active and demanding periods of this bird's year. Across the 34 states and provinces where black-backed woodpeckers occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where black-backed woodpeckers are in July
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In July, black-backed woodpeckers are absent in the South, year-round resident across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in July
July is inside the Black-backed Woodpecker nesting season — about a month earlier in the South and a month later in the North. Nest: cavity in a fire-killed conifer. Clutch 2–6 eggs, incubation 12–14 days, 1 per season.
The southern nesting season has already wound down, but northern pairs are still raising young — the whole season shifts later as you go north. During the nesting months, adults switch to protein-rich foods for their young, become more secretive around the nest site, and often visit feeders in quick, purposeful trips rather than lingering.
What to feed in July
- Wood-boring beetle larvae in fire-killed trees
A fire specialist — flocks move into burns within a year and leave as the beetles run out.
Feeder traffic often dips as natural food peaks, but water becomes the big draw — a clean birdbath outpulls seed in hot weather.
Full Black-backed Woodpecker diet guide → · Best feeder for black-backed woodpeckers →
Watching black-backed woodpeckers this month
In July, the best watching is around food rather than the nest — adults make repeated foraging trips and are most visible at dawn and dusk. Give nesting birds space: if a bird is carrying food or scolding you persistently, you're close to a nest and should back off.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region black-backed woodpeckers are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Black-backed Woodpecker month by month
Black-backed Woodpecker by state
Frequently asked
Where are black-backed woodpeckers in July?
In July, black-backed woodpeckers are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do black-backed woodpeckers nest in July?
Yes — July falls inside the Black-backed Woodpecker nesting season at mid-latitudes (a month earlier in the South).
What do black-backed woodpeckers eat in July?
Wood-boring beetle larvae in fire-killed trees.
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.