How to Attract Downy Woodpeckers to Your Feeder

In this article, the author, Greg Gillson, offers valuable tips on how to attract Downy Woodpeckers to your bird feeder. Downy Woodpeckers are small black-and-white birds that are commonly found in backyards across Canada and the United States, except for the Southwestern deserts. They are known for their unique behaviors and provide hours of entertainment once attracted to a feeder. The article covers various aspects, including the best foods to attract them, the types of feeders they prefer, and where to place the feeders for optimal viewing. Additionally, the author discusses potential problems that may arise when attracting Downy Woodpeckers and provides solutions. Whether you’re an experienced bird watcher or a beginner, this article contains all the information you need to attract and enjoy these delightful backyard birds.

Benefits of Attracting Downy Woodpeckers to Your Feeder

Downy Woodpeckers are small black-and-white birds that are common backyard visitors in Canada and the United States. Attracting them to your feeder can provide numerous benefits. One of the main reasons to attract Downy Woodpeckers is the unique behavior they exhibit. Unlike other seed-eating birds, Downy Woodpeckers crawl over wood posts and hang from small tree limbs, giving you a chance to observe their fascinating movements.

These birds are not easily scared away, making them an excellent choice for birdwatching. Once you attract Downy Woodpeckers to your feeder, they will continue to return, giving you hours of entertainment. Additionally, Downy Woodpeckers are peaceful birds that get along well with other feeder birds, so you won’t have to worry about them being overly aggressive towards other species.

Another benefit of attracting Downy Woodpeckers to your feeder is that they are year-round residents. This means that once they find your feeder, they will continue to visit throughout the year, bringing life and color to your backyard in every season.

Preferred Foods for Downy Woodpeckers

To attract Downy Woodpeckers to your feeder, it’s important to offer them their preferred foods. The best food for attracting Downy Woodpeckers is suet. They absolutely love it! Consider purchasing St Albans Bay Suet blocks, which come in various flavors, including peanut and berry. These suet blocks can be placed in special suet cages, which serve as bird feeders.

In addition to suet, Downy Woodpeckers also enjoy eating nuts, shelled peanuts, and peanut pieces. You can also offer them sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and mealworms. Wagner’s Songbird Supreme is a mixed bird seed that is highly appealing to Downy Woodpeckers and other bird species. It contains 50% sunflower seeds and does not have any cheap filler seeds that birds tend to avoid.

Choosing the Right Feeder for Downy Woodpeckers

When it comes to selecting a feeder for Downy Woodpeckers, there are several options to consider. Downy Woodpeckers are small enough to feed from any kind of feeder, but they tend to prefer hopper and platform feeders over tube feeders.

Hopper and platform feeders are designed to hold a variety of bird seed and offer easy access for feeding. Consider investing in an iBorn tube feeder, which not only looks great with its copper top but is also easy to clean. This feeder, filled with black oil sunflower seeds, attracts various finches, chickadees, and nuthatches. Its smaller perches and lack of a tray help minimize the presence of larger birds such as House Sparrows, Starlings, Doves, and Jays.

Suet feeders are another excellent choice for attracting Downy Woodpeckers. They readily eat from all types of suet feeders, including suet cages. If you want to prevent larger birds from dominating the suet, consider using an upside-down suet feeder. Nature’s Way Upside-down suet feeder is a great option that allows easy access for smaller birds while posing a challenge for larger birds like starlings and jays.

If you want to offer shelled peanuts to Downy Woodpeckers, you can use a special mesh peanut feeder designed specifically for them. These feeders allow the birds to easily access the peanuts while keeping out unwanted visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions about Downy Woodpeckers

1. What kind of foods attract Downy Woodpeckers? Downy Woodpeckers are attracted to suet, nuts, shelled peanuts, peanut pieces, sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, and mealworms.

2. Which feeders do Downy Woodpeckers prefer? Downy Woodpeckers can feed from any kind of feeder, but they tend to prefer hopper and platform feeders over tube feeders. They readily eat from all types of suet feeders, including suet cages. They also have a special mesh peanut feeder designed for them.

3. Where should I place my bird feeder to attract Downy Woodpeckers? It’s best to place your bird feeder near a staging perch, such as a tree or structure, where the birds can stop before hopping to the feeder. Keep the feeder raised above 4 feet to protect the woodpeckers from neighborhood cats. Also, make sure the feeder is easily visible from your window for optimal viewing.

4. Can Downy Woodpeckers drink from hummingbird feeders or oriole nectar feeders? Yes, Downy Woodpeckers sometimes drink from hummingbird feeders and oriole nectar feeders. Their long, thin tongues are similar to those of hummingbirds.

5. What are the potential problems with attracting Downy Woodpeckers to your feeder? While it is rare, Downy Woodpeckers may drill holes in houses with soft siding during the spring nesting season. They may also drill out insects from infested houses. To discourage woodpeckers, you can stop feeding suet and nuts and hang reflective bird scare tape near the areas where they are causing damage.

Attracting Downy Woodpeckers to your feeder can be a rewarding experience. By offering their preferred foods and selecting the right feeder, you can create an inviting environment that will attract these fascinating birds to your yard, providing endless entertainment and joy.