How to attract woodpeckers? (1 Viewer)

[gmax]

Hello everybody,
I'm trying to build up some kind of feeder in a small, old wood close to home, in order to have a suitable spot for birding when time is short; the spot is quite well populated with woodpeckers (mainly green and greater spotted, but also a pair of black have been seen recently) and I'd like to receive tips and advice on how to attract these species ... I've seen people drilling holes in branches, old trunks and stuff them with ... what? Fat? Seeds?

Any help will be much appreciated

Cheers,

Max

 

[John P]

Hello everybody,
I've seen people drilling holes in branches, old trunks and stuff them with ... what? Fat? Seeds?

Any help will be much appreciated

Cheers,

Max

Almost certainly fat, they love it.

I make my own fatballs with 1 kilo of peanuts whizzed up in an old blender and then mixed with 500g of (melted) beef dripping. You can then make any shape or size you like, including stuffing it into holes drilled in logs.

If you can get it they will also be quite happy with the fat which surrounds kidneys, (very nice {for us to eat} cooked until the fat is crispy and still with the kidney inside).

 

[joannec]

Hi Max

I agree with John re the fat. 'My' great spots love it. I save all the fat from the cooking and mix it with peanuts and seed, put it in an old coconut shell and they love it. At the moment I've got both adults and juv great spots going for it. Competition with the tits and sparrows is intense at times. Great spots also come to the peanut feeder in the winter but they are ignoring that now. I don't know how you can attract green woodpeckers to feeders....no luck for me although there are plenty around my garden but I've only seen them a few times actually in the garden and they were after ants......so I dunno, maybe you can build an ant hill.

Joanne

 

[frank]

Hello,
I've got a birch log with 8x 32mm holes drilled through it and filled with suet mixed with peanut granules,pinhead oats,dried fruit etc and the woodpeckers come every day.

Frank

 

[Clive Watson]

At this time of year mealworms are also good. In Britain, Great Spots are easy to attract but Greens and Lesser Spots are virtually impossible, but the status may be different in Italy. Plus you have more species too! Let us know what species you get!

 

[02pepe47]

Woodpeker's

Max,
Could I sugest a little tip that I picked up.
Drill 12mm holes in an exposed tree trunk, firmly push one whole brazil nut into each of several holes(I use 4 replenish twice a day). This method has worked for me. I'm now feeding third generation Greater Spotted juvenilles who will like their parents feed all year round.
This method has two real advantages in that they don't have much competition (just the odd nuthatch) also they have to stay around to feed.
Be patient initially as they will take a few days to adjust to what's on offer but once they do they'll keep coming.
Good Luck & please let me know how you get on.
Pepe

 

[gmax]

... maybe you can build an ant hill. Joanne

LOL .. thank you all, now I'll try to put in practice some of your advice ... I'll keep you updated
Cheers,
Max

 

[clayts]

Two green woodpeckers have turned up in the woods at the bottom of my garden today. One hopped onto the old oak tree which hangs over my garden. Ye gawds, they are one noisy little bird.

Need to find an anthill fast, and transplant it into my garden to attract them in.

 

[gracegrecia]

Offering suet in your backyard is the best enticement to attract woodpeckers. Smear suet in the bark of a tree, offer suet cakes in wire cages or other specially designed suet feeders.