Woodpeckers are enchanting creatures. With vibrantly colored feathers and the tendency to stay in one place all year long, creating a haven of bird feeders and houses in your backyard will provide constant enjoyment for most bird lovers.
Best bird feeders for Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers are some of the best natural bug-killers around. They are almost constantly in motion, searching for crickets, grasshoppers, ants and more to keep their tiny bodies fueled. Attract them during any season with one of these feeders:
- Hopper Feeders: Versatile and easy to use, a hopper feeder is a great choice for attracting many wild birds, including woodpeckers. Peanuts and black oil sunflower seed can be served up in a hopper feeder and woodpeckers are likely to join chickadees and others in stopping by for a quick meal.
- Suet Feeders: The favored feeder of most species of woodpeckers, suet feeders should be filled with high-quality cakes. Use peanut or fat based cakes, either will be highly popular with the protein-hungry woodpeckers. Just be careful with these feeders in hot months. If the temperature is regularly in the 90s or higher, take the suet feeder down and just smear some peanut butter directly on the bark of a tree for the woodpeckers.
- Tray Feeders: Another choice for attracting lots of different species is a tray or platform feeder. Fill it with peanuts, black oil sunflower seed, suet cakes or berries, and woodpeckers will usually stop by.
- Tube Feeders: Woodpeckers love peanuts. Choose a tube feeder that accommodates shelled or unshelled peanuts and you’re sure to attract them. However, keep in mind that this type of feeder often attracts squirrels too. Have a game plan in place to keep them away.
Add Woodpecker Houses
Woodpecker houses are charming to look at and an essential addition to your feeders if you want the birds to stay in your yard year-round. Choose a tree-mounted birdhouse made of natural materials.
It’s unlikely that a woodpecker will occupy a nesting box that isn’t tree-mounted. In fact, as they are famous for, most do nest in the cavities of old and well-developed trees. In the absence of these, they will often take to drilling on the side of a house or shed, which is where they get their reputation for mischief.
Keep a woodpecker house or two and a variety of different feeders in your yard and you’re sure to enjoy these brilliant and active birds most of the year!
