Woodpecker Bird Nest Boxes | Bird Houses Ideal for Woodpeckers

Peanut Bird Feeders Premium Sunflower Hearts Peanuts For Birds How To Attract Woodpeckers Great Spotted Woodpecker Facts

Woodpecker Nest Box
Woodpecker Nest Box

Regular price

£29.95

Sale price

£29.95

Regular price
Thick bowl shaped base for laying eggs is more attractive to woodpeckers

Closed entry hole replicates natural cavity nesting habits

Hinged side door allows for easy maintenance and inspection
Schwegler No. 5 Owl Nestbox (large Hole)
Schwegler No. 5 Owl Nestbox (large Hole)

Regular price

£128.99

Sale price

£128.99

Regular price
Attractive: Used by owls, jackdaws, doves, and squirrels

Natural Environment: Suitable for parks and woods

Easy Maintenance: Removable front panel for easy inspection and cleaning
Premium Woodpecker Nest Box

10% OFF NEW
Premium Woodpecker Nest Box

Regular price

£128.66

Sale price

£128.66

Regular price

~~£142.95~~
Complete ready-to-use package including nesting material and installation guide

Sustainable British-made cedar construction ensures exceptional durability and naturally long life

Side hatch for cleaning and top hatch to allow observation or camera installation

Showing 1-3 of 3 products

Woodpecker nests encourage these beautiful but elusive birds to visit your garden by mimicking their natural nesting environment.

Attracting woodpeckers

Woodpeckers in the UK are present throughout the year but are most active during the springtime. Though they are less present in our gardens than other birds, they can be attracted by making thoughtful touches, you can roll out the welcome mat. Providing shelter and nesting places is a great way to encourage woodpeckers to visit your garden, as well as offering ample food and water, such as peanuts, fat and suet balls or sunflower seeds. Woodpeckers hunt insects, so leaving a small area of your garden with longer, untamed grass to hide and hunt in will also help.

Why choose Ark Wildlife?

Woodpecker nest boxes are intricately designed to cater to our native woodpeckers (including the green woodpecker, great spotted woodpecker, lesser spotted woodpecker and wryneck). The nest boxes include a simple “pilot hole” which encourages woodpeckers to mimic natural behaviours by enlarging the hole themselves. All of the woodpecker nest boxes in our catalogue also come with an additional Nest Box Starter material, giving you the best chance of attracting these elusive birds.

Woodpecker habits

Our feathered percussion artists typically nest in April or March, and can lay anywhere between four to six eggs at a time. The eggs take around two weeks to hatch, and the chicks leave the nest around three to four weeks after hatching.

FAQs

Find answers to our most frequently asked questions.

If you cannot find the answer to your query within these FAQ’s please call our customer service team on free phone 0800 085 4865 between 9.00am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.

Read all FAQs

Outside of office hours please complete the form on our Contact Us page and we will respond to your request within 1 working day of our return.

When should I site a woodpecker nest box?

Because woodpeckers are early nesters, the best time to put it up is in late autumn or early winter to allow the birds time to find it before nesting season arrives.

Where is best to install a woodpecker nest box?

Install a woodpecker nest box on a sturdy tree or pole in a wooded area, ideally facing away from strong winds and direct sunlight.

What is a pilot hole?

A pilot hole is the small initial hole that birds, like woodpeckers, may create as they begin to create a larger cavity for nesting.

When do woodpeckers typically nest?

Woodpeckers typically nest in spring, from late March to early July.

Will a woodpecker use a nest box?

Great spotted woodpeckers can use nest boxes, but they are generally less likely to use them than species such as tits and sparrows. They naturally excavate nest cavities in dead or decaying timber, so a box filled with suitable wood chippings can give them an opportunity to excavate their own nesting cavity. Green woodpeckers are much less likely to use nest boxes, as they typically excavate their nests in soft or decaying wood rather than using purpose-built boxes.

Will a woodpecker attack my other nest boxes?

Great spotted woodpeckers can damage smaller nest boxes when trying to access eggs or chicks, particularly by enlarging the entrance hole. A metal entrance plate can help protect the timber and prevent the hole from being widened. Fitting a plate that matches the original entrance size is particularly useful for boxes intended for smaller birds such as blue tits and coal tits. Providing suitable food, such as suet, may also help give woodpeckers an alternative food source away from occupied nest boxes.

Where should the woodpecker nest box go?

Place a woodpecker nest box high on a mature tree, ideally around 4–6 metres above ground level, in a quiet part of the garden or woodland edge. Choose a sturdy trunk away from busy paths and regular human activity, with a clear flight path to the entrance. Gardens with mature trees and natural deadwood are more likely to provide suitable habitat for woodpeckers. If you have standing deadwood, leave it in place where it is safe to do so, as it can provide valuable natural nesting and foraging habitat.

How to

Guides for everything you need

View All Guides

A small bird with gray, white, and black plumage pecks a cluster of ripe red and dark purple berries from a branch, set against a soft blurred yellow-green background.

FREE Express Delivery Over £40

To most UK postcodes

60-Day Money Back Guarantee

Buy with confidence

Over 500,000 Satisfied Customers

Quality at the heart of everything we do

Rated 4.9/5 for Customer Service

Verified independent reviews

Woodpecker Nest Boxes