What Do Woodpeckers Eat? Best Foods for Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers are fascinating birds known for their distinctive drumming sounds and their ability to peck holes into trees. Understanding their diet is essential for bird enthusiasts and nature lovers who want to attract these captivating creatures to their yards.

General Diet of Woodpeckers

Woodpeckers are omnivores with a diverse diet. Their main food sources include insects, nuts, fruits, and seeds. In the wild, woodpeckers will use their strong beaks to peck at tree bark, searching for hidden insects like ants, beetles, and caterpillars. In addition to insects, woodpeckers enjoy eating tree sap, acorns, and other types of nuts. They also consume berries, fruits, and seeds, depending on the season and food availability.

The combination of their dietary habits and their role as insect controllers makes woodpeckers an important part of the ecosystem.

Favorite Foods of Woodpeckers

While woodpeckers consume a wide range of foods, some are definitely at the top of their list. Insects like ants, termites, beetles, and caterpillars are woodpeckers’ favorite prey. These provide a rich source of protein, and woodpeckers often spend hours pecking into tree bark to uncover them. They also love nuts like acorns and beech nuts. During the warmer months, woodpeckers enjoy eating fruits like apples, berries, and grapes, which provide hydration and energy.

For woodpeckers that you’re trying to attract, offering food that mirrors their natural preferences is key to getting them to visit your yard.

Best Foods to Attract Woodpeckers to Your Yard

To attract woodpeckers to your yard, provide foods that align with their natural diet. Some of the best foods to put out for woodpeckers include:

1. Suet: This is one of the best food sources for woodpeckers, especially in colder months. It’s high in fat and energy, which woodpeckers need.
2. Peanuts and Sunflower Seeds: Woodpeckers love both of these. Offer them whole or shelled in a feeder.
3. Mealworms: These are a great source of protein for woodpeckers and are especially popular in the breeding season.
4. Fruits: Fresh or dried fruits like apples, oranges, and berries are also attractive to woodpeckers.

When offering these foods, make sure to use a sturdy feeder that can handle woodpeckers’ strong beaks. You can also smear peanut butter on tree trunks or place food in cracks in the bark, mimicking their natural foraging behavior.

Specific Diet of Spotted Woodpeckers

Spotted woodpeckers, such as the Hairy Woodpecker and the Downy Woodpecker, have similar dietary preferences to other woodpecker species. They primarily eat insects, including ants, beetles, and wood-boring larvae. In addition, they also consume nuts, seeds, and fruits.

Seasonal Diet Changes

Woodpeckers may adjust their diet depending on the season. During the winter months, they may rely more heavily on nuts, seeds, and suet cakes, as insects become less abundant. Some woodpeckers may also store acorns and other food items for later consumption.

Homemade Woodpecker Food

If you want to make your own woodpecker food, you can easily create bird-friendly recipes at home. One popular option is DIY suet cakes:

Homemade Suet Cake Recipe:

• Ingredients: 1 cup of lard, 1 cup of peanut butter, 2 cups of oats, 1 cup of sunflower seeds, and 1 cup of chopped nuts.
• Melt the lard and peanut butter together, then stir in the dry ingredients.
• Pour the mixture into a mold and let it cool before hanging it out in a suet feeder.

Other ideas include coating pine cones in peanut butter and rolling them in birdseed, or making a peanut butter-and-seed sandwich to wedge into tree bark.

Do Woodpeckers Eat…

Woodpeckers are known for their distinctive drumming sounds and their ability to peck holes in trees. This chapter will explore common questions about woodpecker diets, including whether they consume squirrels, acorns, caterpillars, or even wood itself.

Squirrels: No, woodpeckers do not eat squirrels.

Acorns: Yes, some woodpecker species, such as the Acorn Woodpecker, are known to store acorns for later consumption.

Caterpillars: Yes, caterpillars are a common prey item for woodpeckers.

Wood: No, woodpeckers do not eat wood. They peck wood to find insects and create nesting cavities.

Woodpeckers are primarily insectivorous birds. While they don’t eat squirrels, they consume acorns and caterpillars. They don’t eat wood; they peck at it to find insects and create nests. Understanding their dietary habits helps us appreciate these fascinating creatures and their role in the ecosystem.

Woodpeckers are fascinating birds with a diet that varies by species, season, and environment. Whether they’re pecking at tree bark to find insects or storing acorns for winter, these birds have diverse eating habits. By offering the right foods—such as suet, peanuts, and fruits—you can attract woodpeckers to your yard and help support local wildlife year-round.

If you’re an enthusiastic birdwatcher or simply someone who wants to bring more nature to your backyard, providing the right food can make all the difference!