Do Woodpeckers come to bird feeders

Several common backyard woodpeckers who visit our yards do eat at feeders, of which its only the feeders that are made accessible to these larger than life wild birds.

Eleven of the twenty-two woodpecker family members come to bird feeders, of which they will prioritize dried mealworms among everything else. Visiting bird feeder woodpeckers will also feed on suet cakes, seeds with sunflowers being a favorite, with peanut hearts and peanuts in shells taken at feeders.

Woodpeckers are in fact among the most common backyard birds within the United States; with the Downy, Hairy and Red-Bellied Woodpecker making the top ten most common feeder bird list.

With that in mind it shouldn't take long or would need a lot of effort on your part to attract woodpeckers to your feeder. Actually, it isn't as easy as all that as your yard would need to be among a wooded, forest terrain with trees in the yard - in order to bring woodpeckers to your bird feeders.

Suburbs with no trees or a city location will also probably have to do without woodpeckers in your yard.

Incredibly, everyone else can enjoy woodpeckers in their yard all year round, come rain or shine. You just need to provide the correct bird feed along with an accessible feeder.

Woodpeckers with just the one family member will mostly be seen, with some overlap of two or three woodpeckers members coming to your bird feeders to eat.

With that, its still made easy to accommodate most woodpeckers as they do share the same or similar dietary needs.

Make it a mix of dried or live mealworms on an open top platform feeder or tray, including on an effective Hopper seed feeder, along with sunflower seeds - or generic wild bird seed mixes - and peanut hearts in an accessible suspended bird feeder.

Suet cake bird feeders will be the go-to bird feeder for most woodpeckers, with woodies even clinging to the smallest feeders with their tails scooped beneath it in order for them to feed on mealworm, seeds, nuts or fruit-filled suet within feeders.

Believe it or not you'd also find woodpeckers who are capable but small enough like Downy Woodpeckers, to feed on a nectar-filled Hummingbird feeder.

Any type of bird feeder can be utilized by you to allow woodpeckers to feed on with ease, while baring in mind a solid, hopper or platform bird feeder will work best.

Woodpecker family table

Family of woodpeckers are made up of twenty-two members with just the eleven woodpeckers who are likely to come to accessible bird feeders.

Woodpecker Family:	Visit Feeders:	Feed:	Feeder-type:	Forage-Level:
Acorn Woodpecker	Rarely	Insects, Nuts, Fruits, Seeds	Seed	High
American Three-toed Woodpecker	Wild only	Insects, Fruit	None	High
Arizona Woodpecker	Wild only	Insects, Fruits, Acorns	None	High
Black-backed Woodpecker	Wild only	Insects, Fruits, Nuts	None	High
Downy Woodpecker	Come to feeders	Insects, seeds	Suet, Nut, Seed	High
Gila Woodpecker	Comes to feeders	Insects, Fruit, Nectar, Seeds	Hummingbird	High or ground
Gilded Flicker	Wild only	Insects, Fruits, Seeds, Nuts	None	High or Ground
Golden-fronted Woodpecker	Come to feeders	Insects, Nuts, Fruits, Seeds	Suet, Seed, Nut	High or Ground
Hairy Woodpecker	Come to feeders	Insects, Nuts, Seeds	Suet, Nut, Seed	High
Ladder-backed Woodpecker	Come to feeders	Insects, Fruit	Hummingbird, Suet	High or Ground
Lewis's Woodpecker	Rarely	Insects, Nuts, Fruits	Suet	High
Northern Flicker	Come to feeders	Insects, Fruits, Seeds, Nuts	Suet, Peanut, Seed	High or Ground
Nuttall's Woodpecker	Rarely	Insects, Nuts, Seeds, Fruits	Suet	High
Pileated Woodpecker	Come to feeders	Insects, Fruits, Nuts	Suet, Nut	High
Red-bellied Woodpecker	Come to feeders	Nuts, Fruits, Seeds	Suet, Seed, Nut	High
Red-breasted Sapsucker	Rarely	Insects, Sap, Fruit	Fruit	High
Red-cockaded Woodpecker	Wild only	Insects, Nuts, Fruits, Seeds	None	High
Red-headed Woodpecker	Come to feeders	Insects, Nuts, Seeds, Fruit	Seed, Peanut, Nut	High or Ground
Red-naped Sapsucker	Wild only	Insects, Fruit, Fruits	None	High
White-headed Woodpecker	Wild only	Insects, Seeds	None	High
Williamson's Sapsucker	Wild only	Insects, Sap, Fruit	None	High
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	Wild only	Insects, Sap, Fruit	None	High

Bird feeder woodpeckers are all listed with none-bird feeder woodies their as a reference only, with these woodpeckers preferring to forage in trees out in the wild rather than in your backyard.

Woodpeckers feed on a wide range of feed in the wild of which can be replicated closely on bird feeders.

You can expect to replace insects with dried mealworms - or live mealworms - with peanut hearts substituting wild nuts. Similarly, pine cones or pine seeds will be replaced with generic wild bird seeds, like black oil sunflower seeds.

Several Woodpeckers come to feeders

Up to eleven common woodpeckers are found to be loyal bird feeder birds, who are widespread across the United States - with properties sat near or within woods or forests - plus trees grown inside to your yard benefiting with woodpeckers.

What woodpecker members come to bird feeders is the always reliable Downy - who is similar looking to Hairy woodpeckers - followed by the distinctively large Pileated Woodpecker - showing up in an attempt to accessible small bird feeders.

You also get the very similar in size and plumage color Golden-fronted and Red-bellied Woodpeckers who will be hard to tell about at feeders.

And don't forget about the Northern Flicker who isn't a woodpecker by name, but certainly part of the Woodpecker family.

Woodpeckers who visit bird feeders are those that mostly forage high within trees, with some even foraging down on the ground.

Of the eleven woodpeckers who come to bird feeders, all are guaranteed to access a number of different types of suet bird feeder, including the popular suet cake feeder. Some others are likely to favor a nectar-filled Hummingbird feeder,

Woodpeckers are big on suet thus will be seen hanging upside down, or at any precarious angle while eating the mealworm as a favorite - including peanuts or seed-filled suet feeders.

Nut bird feeders are also widely frequented by all woodpeckers who will be sure to eat peanuts there or take them away to feed within trees.

Dried mealworms priority

What kind of bird feed you must prioritize for woodpeckers of most family members, is their favorite dried mealworms placed in an accessible open top feeder.

Woodpeckers are massive dried mealworms eaters as its a great substitute for the insects they'd normally eat in the wild.

Unfortunately, for any insect-eating wild birds who come to bird feeders, dried mealworms aren't usually offered because people don't have the available bird feeder intended to put mealworms in.

Well, you don't have to put dried mealworms in any kind of bird feeder as it happens when attracting woodpeckers, as an open tray with dried mealworms in is all it takes.

How to feed dried mealworms to woodpeckers than will be in any kind of open top platform feeder, of which woodies will perch around the sides to take mealworms.

Suspended bird feeder trays are the best way to feed woodpeckers yet mealworms can be mixed into a seed tray if that is all you can spare.

With dried mealworms hung off the ground in an open bird feeder tray or platform, it must be hung with other bird feeders in a lit up area - while baring in mind larger woodpeckers will need additional space - surrounding this mealworm-filled feeder tray.

Suet feeders a favorite

With all woodpeckers mentioned happy to come to suet bird feeders in particularly, its essential you provide a way for larger, heavier woodpeckers to feed at suet feeders.

Generic standard suet cake feeders will do it mind even if some woodpeckers will have difficulty feeding on an unstable, swinging suet feeder as it hangs on a bracket or off a sturdy tree branch.

Rather than allowing a small suet cake cage feeder to freely hang, you'd be better off mounted it to a tree trunk or branch.

Some woodpeckers can also utilize an upside down suet bird feeder like Downy's, Hairy's and Red-headed woodpeckers, who cling to the underside of a suet feeder, made for suet to only be accessible in a facing down direction.

All woodpeckers who come to your specific style suet feeder will feed on suet cakes made up mostly of mealworms; as its insects what woodpeckers will eat when foraging on trees in the wild.

One type of suet bird feeder you can think about introducing to your yard to assist woodpeckers who come to feeders, is a special suet bird feeder featuring a device called a tail prop.

Essentially, its a suet cake cage featured in one way or another on a panel of wood, or what you'd call a prop. This prop continues to run several inches down to allow any woodpecker - which especially applies to Pileated Woodpeckers - to prop their tail on this plank of wood to help stabilize themselves as they feed.

Make NUTS available

Of the eleven woodpeckers known to come to bird feeders, six are known to feed on a mix of nut varieties, thus this would make them nut-eating woodpeckers.

If you have any one or more of the Hairy, Northern Flicker, Pileated, Red-bellied and Red-headed woodpeckers coming to your yard, then its expected the peanut feeder in particular will be a favorite for sure.

What peanut bird feeder any one of these woodpeckers can access is usually your typical long wire cage nut feeder - made as a cage or has a steel surround with holes.

It is a difficult bird feeder to access yet woodpeckers will be seen clinging on the lowest part - with their tails scooped beneath it - as they poke their bills in between the gaps to take peanut hearts inside the cage.

Woodpeckers who peanuts will also come to a wreath style peanut feeder that can be full of peanuts in their shells - of which a woodpeckers will take them away to store.

Where you provide peanuts for woodpeckers, additional feed can be attractive when smearing it with peanut butter. Peanut butter can be provided to wild birds like your woodies - whereby woodpeckers bite off the crunchy kind when spread on a suet cake.

Accessible seed feeder a must

Like the six woodpeckers who come to a nut-filled bird feeder, six woodpeckers - and perhaps more - are also likely to come to a bird feeder of the seed-filled variety.

Woodpeckers are big on seeds of which will eat the generic small seeds you commonly fill seed bird feeders with.

Better yet, you'd want to prioritize sunflower seeds for woodpeckers as these birds find the large sunflower varieties a favorite.

With wild bird seeds put in a regular long clear plastic tube seed feeder, bear in mind this style isn't compatible with any of these woodpeckers. Woodpeckers will prefer seeds put in a clear tube if it features a place to perch, like a seed tray.

Difficult as this seed tray may be to cling on to while feeding on seeds at the same time, a solid, stable heavy wooden Hopper style seed bird feeder is a better way of dispensing bird seeds - for woodpeckers and other wild birds.

While feeding woodpeckers on a variety of nuts and mealworms then, do be sure to remember to offer them a mix of seeds.

Will come to Hummingbird feeder

While most people will want to keep woodpeckers off Hummingbird feeders, others don't mind attracting woodies to a feeder that you wouldn't think would interest wild birds who feed on nuts, seeds or indeed insects in the wild.

Well, with an Hummingbird feeder suspended on a pole near to bird feeders intended for woodpeckers, you can expect the occasional Downy, Hairy, Ladder-backed, Golden-fronted and Red-bellied Woodpeckers to be attracted to it.

With Hummingbird feeders made available in spring though summer time, this is of course when it can attract woodies.

Hummingbirds feed on nectar as it replaces their lost energy due to their unique way of flight, whereas homemade nectar can provide woodpeckers a boost in energy.

Why the woodpeckers mentioned who come to Hummingbird feeders, is because these are smaller, more able woodpeckers who can on occasion, access what is a too small suspended feeder..

Whereas you'd never see a Pileated woodpecker perch on what is essentially a small, lightweight plastic Hummingbird feeder, because its beyond their ability to feed on.

Any bird feeder if accessible

Its important to remember when woodpeckers are seen coming to your bird feeder within your yard, its because that particularly bird feeder is accessible.

When the bird feeder is used by woodpeckers it would probably mean only the smallest birds of the woodpeckers family will be using it - like the Downy and Hairy woodpecker.

What that, what it could mean for you is to open up your bird feeder collection to an accessible bunch of woodpecker-friendly bird feeders.

Remember woodpeckers are big suet-eating birds thus will come to any accessible suet bird feeder. Make it a suet cake feeder that is mounted versus suspended; all while prioritize a suet bird feeder featuring a tail prop, to help woodpeckers balance.

Why else woodpeckers aren't biting at bird feeders could be because you aren't providing what they eat.

If the bird feeder is accessible to allow woodpeckers to cling or perch, you'll only see success if its filled with dried mealworms, seeds, peanuts and fruits.

Make it an accessible bird feeder that is made to store nuts, seeds or mealworms, while avoid use of too small, compact and lightweight feeders that simply won't allow a woodpecker to cling on as they always do.

Summarizing up

Not only do woodpeckers come to all kinds of bird feeders in the United States and parts of Canada, but they are among the most common backyard birds.

Woodpeckers can be depended upon to come to feeders if dried mealworms, suet, seeds, peanuts and fruits are made available to them.

It doesn't apply to every corner of the United States mind as woodpeckers will only be found in backyards adjacent to woods and forests.

Woodpeckers forage for insects within trees in the wild thus they don't venture far from their natural feeding habitat.

Up to eleven woodpeckers of the twenty-two family members could be found on various bird feeders, including: the Downy, Golden-fronted, Hairy, Ladder-backed, Northern Flicker, Pileated, Red-bellied and the Red-headed Woodpecker coming to feeders.

Dietary needs are quite similar with only mealworms, seeds, peanuts and fruits eaten, plus suet if filled with any of these ingredients.

With that in mind you'd really want to prioritize dried mealworms for all woodpeckers.

While Downy Woodpeckers are seen more regularly on bird feeders, its because of their small size making it easier on them. Whereas a giant Pileated Woodpecker will want to eat from bird feeders, only their size does limit them somewhat.

Its vitally important to use bird feeders that can accommodate all size woodpeckers, while baring in mind woodies like to cling with their tails tucked in beneath the feeder.

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