What Do Woodpeckers Eat? Fascinating Diet Secrets

They extract this sugary substance from the sap by drilling small holes into the bark, creating what is known as sapsucker wells. So, spreading sunflower seeds in your backyard can serve as an attractive invitation for woodpeckers to visit regularly. Honestly, who would’ve guessed that these tiny feathered drillers have such a varied menu?

Or, you can offer the food to them with a basic suet cage feeder. As wood is the home of most insects, woodpeckers peck on wood to eat them. Apart from having wood-boring insects, insect eggs, and larvae, these wild birds like spiders, grubs, and ants. Most importantly, these wild birds sometimes eat mealworms either live or dried.

Some species, like the Acorn Woodpecker, stockpile food for the winter. These forward-thinking birds store acorns in small tree cavities that they chisel out themselves. Suet cages are generally the best feeders for most Woodpecker species, and models made to fit standard suet cakes are the most convenient Check this for Herbivorous animals designs. However, these birds will happily feed from platform feeders, peanut and seed tube feeders, or even enjoy food smeared directly onto tree bark. Most Woodpecker species are arboreal, so they’re typically seen clambering around on tree trunks and branches, sometimes clinging completely upside down.

Well, I couldn’t resist, so I dug a bit deeper into this topic, and guess what? Ants, termites, and even tree borers aren’t safe from a hungry woodpecker. Honestly, these birds are like Mother Nature’s own pest control service. Picture the beak of a woodpecker, designed flawlessly for precision pecking through hard wood. This same beak also allows these remarkable birds to crack open a tough nut without breaking a sweat, or beak, for this matter. No matter what you fill your feeders with, your local woodpeckers will surely appreciate the offering.

When these seeds are in feeders, other birds may join the feast. If you offer peanuts to woodpeckers, make sure to use woodpecker-friendly feeders. If you have pine trees, you can see these birds eating the pine nuts. Some species have more specific diets and feeding strategies. Their favorites include beetles, ants, caterpillars, and spiders. These intelligent birds also have a knack for slurping up larvae and eggs, leaving no stone (or should we say, tree) unturned.

We trust this information has provided you with a comprehensive understanding of what woodpeckers eat. Woodpeckers have been observed occasionally feasting on fruits such as apples. Apples can be a valuable food source for woodpeckers during colder months when insect activity slows down. In addition to apples, berries, and cherries also rank high on the woodpecker’s menu.

Read our guide to Woodpeckers of the UK for more information on each of the four British species. Woodpeckers can hammer away at over twenty pecks per second, which is enough to make you dizzy just thinking about it. Of greater concern is the kind of damage that impact could do to their brains. These diligent birds begin their hunt early in the day, taking a brief pause during the afternoon before resuming their search for sustenance until nightfall. Learn all about birds around the world through our growing collection of in-depth expert guides.

They can feed on grasshoppers, wood-boring insects, flies, spiders and grubs. Drumming, the act of pecking at trees is actually the woodpecker’s way of communicating. Using different kinds of drumming woodpeckers can attract mates or claim their territory.

Read our in-depth article on What Woodpeckers Eat to discover how, where, and when these special birds find their food. Woodpeckers are a diverse group of birds with approximately 230 known species in the Picidae family. Many species occur in temperate regions of the world, and American birdwatchers could spot over twenty species of Woodpeckers, Sapsuckers, and Flickers in the United States. Woodpeckers choose hollow wood for drumming because it resonates well and makes a lot more noise. Some individuals have also learned to drum on other surfaces like gutter pipes, roof vents, and even windows for the same reason.

Multiple woodpecker species eat seeds, nuts, and fruits from hopper or tray feeders. These feeders are quite comfortable to perch on, especially for smaller woodpeckers, like Downy Woodpeckers that cling to various cage feeders while eating something. You may know that there are four seasons (summer, fall, winter, and spring) in North America.

Most species have an average life expectancy of just a few years, but some can live for over a decade. Like other small to medium-sized birds, they have many potential predators, including birds of prey, mammals, and even reptiles. Woodpeckers occupy a variety of habitats, although most species live in wooded areas like savannas, woodlands, and forests.

Did you know some gutsier woodpeckers munch on small fish and even other birds’ eggs? Another great option is to provide a yard full of natural food sources. If you find yourself with a backyard woodpecker or even if you just want to learn more about them, understanding what they eat is imperative. Avoid feeding moldy, rancid, or overly processed foods to Woodpeckers.

Various species of woodpeckers have different dietary preferences, so let’s dive a little deeper into a few species and find out what exactly they eat. Another remarkable adaptation of woodpeckers is the construction of their head and neck. These birds possess strong neck muscles that enable them to deliver powerful blows to tree bark, breaking it apart to expose hidden insects. Despite their varied diet, Woodpeckers are adapted to feed in ways no other birds can.