Hunting birds in Red Dead Redemption 2 takes a different sort of mindset than hunting most other animals. Birds, are small, elusive, and incredibly hard to identify from a distance, and woodpeckers are no different. One of RDR2’s Hunting requests calls for a perfect woodpecker carcass. If you want that carcass for yourself, you first have to know where to find woodpeckers. Fortunately for you, this guide can help you locate them.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Woodpecker Locations
The first thing you should know is that there are actually two types of woodpeckers in Red Dead Redemption 2. There’s the Pileated Woodpecker and the Red-Bellied Woodpecker. Pileated Woodpeckers mostly congregate in the wooded parts of New Hanover, while Red-Bellied Woodpeckers can be found around Annesburg. Both types can also be occasionally spotted in other major outdoor regions such as Lemoyne or West Elizabeth
One of the absolute best spots to consistently find woodpeckers is on the shore of the Dakota River. If you don’t know, the Dakota River runs out of the northwestern corner of Flat Iron Lake, northeast of Strawberry. The best time of day to hunt birds is during the morning, so keep that in mind as well.
Sadly, you can’t really study or spot birds from afar. The best way to “hunt” them is to ride your horse close to trees to spook the birds. Once they’re in the air, you can shoot fleeing birds using Deadeye. If you’re lucky, at least one of those birds will be a woodpecker. Using the Varmint Rifle or the bow’s small game arrows improves your odds of getting a perfect carcass. More than anything, though, you have to be a little patient.
If you’re looking for more Red Dead Redemption 2 hunting guides, we’ve got you covered. We previously looked at how to find and hunt the majestic moose. If you’d prefer more dangerous games, hunting wolves might be more your speed.