By Christine A. Smyczynski
If your only exposure to woodpeckers has been watching Woody woodpecker cartoons, why not attract some of these lively birds to your backyard to see how real woodpeckers act. Since they don’t migrate, you’ll find them in your backyard all year long.
Woodpeckers actually peck at trees because they eat wood boring insects. They usually like to build their nests in dead wood. Attract them to your yard and they will eat all sorts of garden pests, including ants, grasshoppers, spiders, wasps, and other bugs. If insects are not available, they’ll eat acorns, fruits, nuts, and berries. They also love black oil sunflower seeds and are attracted to suet, although it’s best to save the suet feeding until the colder weather.
USA Bird Supply has a variety of woodpecker feeders available. The Droll Yankees Woodpecker Feeding System ($49.99) features a mesh tube feeder for peanuts or black oil sunflower seed, along with a attachable suet cage.
Another feeder they have is a Heath Redwood Double suet feeder for woodpeckers ($15.99), which holds two suet cakes and has a tail prop to give the birds stability as they feed. The Chalet Woodpecker Simple Suet Feeder by Heath ($19.99) holds a large suet cake and is perfect for woodpeckers, along with a variety of other birds, including bluebirds, chickadees, finches, nuthatches, orioles, and more.