Saratoga Springs, New York

Summer Feature

Woodpeckers


By Bill Thompson, III

Back a few years ago, woodpeckers were in the news -- well, one woodpecker species in particular:  the ivory-billed woodpecker.  That rediscovery of this species in a wooded Arkansas bayou was the biggest bird Ivory billed Woodpeckerconservation story of the century.  Bird watchers everywhere continue to hope and search for additional positive news about this species -- even that it may also survive elsewhere in North America in quiet expanses of old woods.

Although it's extremely unlikely that you have an ivory-billed woodpecker visiting your backyard feeders or foraging in your trees, it's almost certain that you have at least one woodpecker species (and perhaps several species) visiting your property.  Perhaps the pileated woodpecker -- the species most often confused with the ivory-billed -- is found in your area.  The pileated is our largest common woodpecker and its appearance is impressive enough to make even non-birders say, "Wow!"

Woodpeckers may not be as brightly colored as our warblers, but they are experts at making noise.  Each woodpecker species has its distinctive, and often loud, call -- from the downward rattle of the downy woodpecker and the explosive "queerk!" of the red-headed woodpecker to the maniacal laugh of the pileated woodpecker.  Woodpecker sounds are also produced by the hammering, drilling, and chopping they do with their bills on wood.  Throughout the year, but particularly in spring and summer, many of our woodpeckers engage in territorial drumming, rapidly drumming their bills on a hollow tree branch or trunk to produce the loudest sound possible.  The purpose of this drumming is similar to the singing of a male Red headed Woodpeckersongbird -- advertising to potential mates and warning away potential trespassing rivals.  Much to the annoyance of unlucky homeowners, some woodpeckers have discovered the amazing resonance of metal chimney flues, gutters, and downspouts for their territorial drumming.

World of Woodpeckers
There are 22 woodpecker species in North America, and more than half of them are known to visit backyards for food, water, shelter and, in some cases, nesting.  There are a variety of ways you can attract woodpeckers to your property, but perhaps the best way is to make sure you provide the appropriate habitat.  Most woodpeckers prefer wooded habitat, so, if your property includes trees or woods, or borders on a woodland edge, you'll surely have woodpeckers as neighbors.  As their name suggests, pecking on wood is a big part of a woodpecker's life.  They have specialized "tools" that make this possible, including sharp, chisel-like bills for drilling into wood, a shock-absorbing skull that keeps them from injuring themselves while drilling or drumming on wood, and long, sticky, barbed tongues that help them reach deep into cavities to extract grubs, ants, and other food items.  Two other adaptations assist woodpeckers in their lifestyles:  strong feet with sharp claws, designed to hold onto all kinds of tree bark, and stiff tail feathers that woodpeckers use to prop themselves upright along a tree trunk or branch.

Tree's Company
If your property does not include many trees, consider planting some,  Woodpeckers use trees for foraging, for nesting and roosting, for shelter, and simply for perching and loafing.  Almost any tree species will do, but plant a variety of trees designed to thrive in your climate and soil type.  Your local tree commission, extension service, or library will be good sources of information on trees native to your area.  Plan your planting to include trees, shrubs, and plants of varying heights, shapes, and growth patterns.  After all, the more diverse the habitat you create, the more diversity it will attract and support.

Food for WoodpeckersRed bellied Woodpecker
Our North American woodpeckers are omnivorus, meaning they eat just about everything.  Among the most common naturally occuring foods eaten by woodpeckers are insects, spiders, larvae, ants, and beetles, as well as nuts, berries and fruits, tree buds, tree sap, flowers and flower nectar, and even things such as salamanders, toads, and nestlings and eggs.  The acorn woodpecker is named for its habit of eating and storing acorns.  Our four sapsucker species?  You guessed it -- they lap the sap from holes they drill in tree trunks.  In your own backyard you may have success attracting woodpeckers to your bird feeders if you offer them peanuts (out of the shell, unsalted), suet dough or suet cakes, sunflower seed (either black, striped, or hearts), cracked corn (on or off the cob), and fruit such as orange, grapefruit, apple halves, or grapes and raisins.  Most woodpeckers prefer to perch while feeding (just as they do on trees), so a hanging tube feeder or a hopper feeder is a great way to offer food to woodpeckers.  There are a variety of feeders designed specifically for woodpeckers, including feeders that offer access to the food only to birds (such as woodpeckers!) that can cling to the bottom of the feeder.  This prevents European starlings, jays, and other birds from hogging all the woodpeckers' food.

Yellow bellied SapsuckerNorthern flickers may visit your bird feeders for suet or peanuts, and they will also readily visit your lawn or sidewalk if an ant colony is present.  Ants are a favorite food of the flicker, prompting the folk name for this species:  the ant woodpecker.

Fall, winter, and early spring are the best times for woodpecker activity at our feeders.  During this time, natural food stores may be depleted, so woodpeckers may be more attracted to the offerings at our feeding stations.  One of the great joys of bird feeding is watching the adults bring their youngsters to the feeder for the first time in the summer.

Water Your Woodpeckers
Almost all of our backyard birds need water for drinking and bathing, and woodpeckers are no different.  A shallow bowl of water placed low to the ground near shelter will be very attractive to visiting woodpeckers.  Even more attractive is a water feature with moving water, such as a mister, dripper, or recirculating pump.  Our young red-bellied woodpeckers love to perch on the side of our ceramic bath to get a drink -- perhaps all that begging for food from the parents makes them thirsty!

Nest Boxes for WoodpeckersHairy Woodpecker
As our knowledge of the nesting behavior of woodpeckers has improved, so has the design and placement of our nestboxes.  Still, woodpeckers do not take to an artificial nesting cavity as readily as house wrens, bluebirds, tree swallows or wood ducks do.  Why?  Because woodpeckers can make their own nesting holes, and they are perfectly suited and used to doing so.  In fact, one of the best ways to make a nest box more attractive to a woodpecker pair is to fill it -- partially or entirely -- with wood chips so the birds can do the "excavation" themselves.  The excavation of the nesting cavity plays an important role in courtship and in the pair's bonding.  If you purchase a woodpecker house, try to mount it as deep in a wooded area as possible to reduce competition from starlings (which do not like to nest in deep woods).  Also try to mount the box on a limb or trunk that is wider than the box itself.  The theory behind this suggestion is that it makes the nest box appear to be a natural part of the tree, not just something stuck onto it.

Woodpeckers are a fascinating part of our backyard community -- easy to see and hear, easy to attract, and easy to appreciate.  Ask your helpful Wild Birds Unlimited Birdfeeding Specialist for advice and recommendations on how to attract, identify, and enjoy your backyard woodpeckers.