Winter is a great time to see woodpeckers! With the leaves off trees and bird feeders (especially suit feeders) filled, many of NJ’s woodpecker species can be easily seen pretty much everywhere across the state! In fact, in winter, NJ gets some migrant woodpeckers that during the rest of the year in NJ are few and far between.
New Jersey hosts seven common woodpecker species: Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Red-headed, and the large Pileated Woodpecker. The Red-headed woodpecker (a Threatened Species in NJ) is more of a nomadic species, with more occurrences in NJ noted in winter, but it is still considered potential year-round resident, especially in southern NJ in the Pine Barrens region of the state. The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, although confirmed to breed in northern Jersey), is still considered a migratory species that is more common in NJ during winter.
At Merrill Creek Reservoir all seven of these species have been seen here. Currently, at the MCR Visitor Center bird feeders the woodpeckers we are seeing everyday are: Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers.
Flickers and Pileated Woodpeckers can be found in the forest at MCR along the trails, especially around dead Ash trees.
Want to attract woodpeckers to your backyard, put out: Suet, suet cakes, peanuts, sunflower seeds and acorns.
Fun Fact: Several woodpecker species, including Pileated and Downy Woodpeckers, eat poison ivy berries, which are a vital winter food source for many birds, as birds are immune to the urushiol oil that affects humans. They also consume berries from other plants like sumac, dogwood, and Virginia creeper, supplementing their diet when insects are scarce.
Downy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red Headed Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker