Red-headed Woodpecker in June
Where red-headed woodpeckers are in June, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
June in the Red-headed Woodpecker's year
June is the height of the nesting season. Most resident and migrant species are raising young, migration is essentially over, and bird activity peaks at dawn. By late June the first fledglings of the year are everywhere — clumsy, loud, and constantly begging.
For the Red-headed Woodpecker specifically, June 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 red-headed woodpeckers occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where red-headed woodpeckers are in June
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- year-round resident
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In June, red-headed 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 June
June is inside the Red-headed Woodpecker nesting season. Nest: cavity in dead trees or limbs. Clutch 3–10 eggs, incubation 12–14 days, 1–2 per season.
The season is broadly synchronized across the range this month. 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 June
- Flying insects and beetles
A declining open-woodland species that visits yards with large dead limbs left standing.
Expect to see adults carrying food away rather than eating it — they're feeding nestlings. Fledglings visiting feeders with their parents are a June highlight.
Full Red-headed Woodpecker diet guide → · Best feeder for red-headed woodpeckers →
Watching red-headed woodpeckers this month
In June, 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 red-headed woodpeckers are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Red-headed Woodpecker month by month
Red-headed Woodpecker by state
Frequently asked
Where are red-headed woodpeckers in June?
In June, red-headed woodpeckers are absent in the South, year-round resident across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do red-headed woodpeckers nest in June?
Yes — June falls inside the Red-headed Woodpecker nesting season at mid-latitudes.
What do red-headed woodpeckers eat in June?
Flying insects and beetles.
Sources
- Red-headed Woodpecker — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-headed Woodpecker life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Red-headed 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.