As the temperatures drop and the leaves fall, many birds fly south to warmer climates for the winter. However, some woodpecker species tough out the cold and stay in their breeding grounds year-round. So which woodpeckers stick around through the winter?
Downy Woodpecker
The downy woodpecker is one of the most common and widespread woodpeckers in North America. They are found across nearly the entire United States and southern Canada all year long.
Downy woodpeckers have black and white plumage with white spots on their wings and a red patch on the backs of their heads. The males have a small red stripe on their heads that the females lack.
These tiny woodpeckers only grow to about 6-7 inches in length, making them one of the smallest woodpeckers. This allows them to survive cold winters as they don’t require as much food as larger birds.
During the winter, downy woodpeckers dine on insects, spiders, seeds, berries, and even suet from bird feeders. They use their pointed beaks to hammer away at trees in search of larvae and other food.
Downy woodpeckers nest in tree cavities and will roost in their nests at night to stay warm. Their small size also lets them huddle inside man-made nest boxes.
Hairy Woodpecker
Closely related to the downy woodpecker is the hairy woodpecker. As their names suggest, hairy woodpeckers are larger with longer beaks than downy woodpeckers.
Hairy woodpeckers measure 7-10 inches long and are found across most of North America. Their range stretches from Alaska to Newfoundland, south to Florida and the West Indies.
Like the downy woodpecker, hairy woodpeckers are black and white in coloration. But the hairy woodpecker lacks the small red stripe on the back of the head that male downy woodpeckers have.
During winter, hairy woodpeckers eat insects, spiders, seeds, berries, acorns, and will visit suet feeders. They roost in tree cavities at night.
These adaptations allow hairy woodpeckers to survive freezing temperatures and snowy conditions throughout their range.
Red-Bellied Woodpecker
The red-bellied woodpecker is aptly named for the reddish patch on its belly. But many are surprised to learn it sticks around for winter across much of its range.
Red-bellied woodpeckers measure 9-10 inches long. They inhabit forests and woodlands from Florida to New England, west to Texas and north to Minnesota.
These birds feast on insects, spiders, seeds, acorns, berries and sometimes small reptiles and amphibians. They will also visit backyard bird feeders.
Cavities in dead trees serve as nesting spots and winter roosts for the red-bellied woodpecker. They may also nest in the nooks of buildings or man-made nest boxes.
Northern Flicker
The northern flicker is a type of woodpecker that migrates in some parts of its range but remains a year-round resident across much of the United States and Canada.
Northern flickers inhabit open woodlands, orchards, suburbs, parks and backyards. They range from Alaska to Nova Scotia, south to Central America and Cuba.
These brownish-gray woodpeckers have black spots and barred markings. A distinctive black bib marks their chest. The males have a red stripe on the back of their gray heads.
Northern flickers mainly eat insects like ants and beetles. They also enjoy fruits, seeds and berries. You may spot them foraging on the ground for ants or visiting bird feeders.
Flickers nest in tree cavities and will readily use nest boxes. They roost in their nesting cavities at night.
Pileated Woodpecker
The pileated woodpecker is one of the biggest woodpeckers found in North America, nearly the size of a crow. Fortunately for birdwatchers, they stick around their breeding territory year-round.
These striking black and white birds have a bright red crest on their heads. Their range extends across much of the eastern United States and Canada, as well as along the Pacific coast.
Pileated woodpeckers chisel large, rectangular cavities in dead trees to build their nests and roost in. They use their powerful beaks to hammer away at wood in search of carpenter ants and other insects.
Fruits, nuts and berries supplement their insect-heavy diet. In winter they’re also drawn to suet feeders.
The pileated woodpecker’s large size and ability to chisel into trees helps it survive harsh winters across its range.
Red-Headed Woodpecker
True to its name, the red-headed woodpecker sports a bright red head, neck and upper breast. Though partial to open woodlands with scattered dead trees, they inhabit areas that experience cold, snowy winters.
Red-headed woodpeckers are found from New England to Florida, west to the Rocky Mountains and the southwest. They range as far north as southern Canada.
About the size of a robin at 8-9 inches long, these woodpeckers eat insects, seeds, fruits, berries and nuts. Acorns make up a good part of their diet.
Red-headed woodpeckers are skilled flycatchers, sometimes catching insects in midair. They nest and roost in the cavities of dead trees.
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
The yellow-bellied sapsucker is a unique woodpecker that actually drills into live trees to feed on the sap. Appropriately named, these woodpeckers have a yellow wash on their underparts.
Their breeding range stretches across Canada and the northeastern U.S. But most migrate farther south for the winter. Yet some can be found year-round as far north as southern Ontario.
Sapsuckers make orderly rows of small holes in the bark of trees to harvest sap. They also eat cambium and bark tissue. Insects, fruits and seeds round out their diet.
Cavities in trees serve as nesting and roosting spots. Their ability to harvest sap helps yellow-bellied sapsuckers survive cold winters near the northern edge of their range.
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
The red-cockaded woodpecker is an endangered species endemic to the southeastern United States. These small woodpeckers have black and white bars on their backs and spotted white cheeks.
Males have small red streaks on either side of their black caps, which gives them their name. Females lack this red marking.
Red-cockaded woodpeckers make their homes in mature pine forests. They peck into live pine trees to excavate cavities, which take years to complete.
Their diet consists mainly of insects like beetles, roaches, ants and caterpillars. But they also eat fruits, berries and seeds from pine trees.
Cavities in pine trees serve as nesting and roosting sites year-round for these woodpeckers. Though their numbers are small, red-cockaded woodpeckers are permanent residents across their range.
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Lewis’s woodpecker is a dark greenish-black woodpecker with a gray collar and bright pink belly. It can be found year-round across much of western North America.
This unusual woodpecker mainly eats insects and frequents open forests and woodlands, especially those damaged by fire. Burned forests offer an abundance of prey.
Lewis’s woodpeckers nest in cavities in dead trees or utility poles. Though partly migratory, populations can be found throughout the winter across large swaths of their breeding range.
These woodpeckers use their long, barbed tongues to capture flying insects. They also eat fruits, berries, acorns and sap from trees. Such adaptations allow them to survive winters across the west.
Acorn Woodpecker
The acorn woodpecker, as its name suggests, relies heavily on acorns for food. So much so that they drill holes in trees in which to store their acorn cache, creating unique “granary trees.”
These striking black and white woodpeckers inhabit oak woodlands of the far west. Their range stretches from Washington to California and south to Central America.
In addition to acorns, acorn woodpeckers eat insects, sap, fruits and berries. Family groups work cooperatively to collect and store acorns for winter use.
The acorn woodpecker’s reliance on stored food allows it to remain year-round in oak forests that receive cold, rainy winters.
Gila Woodpecker
The Gila woodpecker is a resident throughout the desert southwest of the United States. It can survive the region’s hot, arid conditions thanks to behavioral and physical adaptations.
This small, zebra-patterned woodpecker nests in cacti and soft-wooded trees. It pecks into giant cacti like the saguaro to drink nutritious sap and excavate nest cavities.
Gila woodpeckers eat cactus fruits and seeds, berries, acorns, mushrooms, sap, pollen and insects. Family groups cooperatively raise young and share food resources.
These behaviors allow the Gila woodpecker to be a permanent resident of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan Deserts despite extremes in climate.
Gilded Flicker
Related to the Gila woodpecker is the Gilded flicker of southwestern deserts. Adults have pale yellow wing linings that give them their common name.
Like the Gila woodpecker, Gilded flickers nest and roost in giant cacti and other desert trees. Their diet includes cactus fruits, seeds, pollen and sap.
Insects, blossoms and berries also provide nutrition. Some migrate after the breeding season, but Gilded flickers remain year-round across most of their Sonoran Desert range.
These behaviors and food sources allow Gilded flickers to endure the scorching summers and freezing winters of the desert southwest.
Summary
Many woodpecker species have evolved adaptations that allow them to survive harsh winters and remain in their breeding territories year-round. Small body size, cavity roosting, food caching and harvesting sap help different woodpeckers persist through the cold months.
Iconic species like the downy, hairy, red-bellied, red-headed and pileated woodpecker are fixtures across much of North America throughout the winter. Lewis’s, Gila and Gilded woodpeckers thrive in western states and the desert southwest.
So don’t be surprised to hear the drumming of woodpeckers on frosty winter days. Their exceptional abilities ensure many species stick around no matter the weather.