Woodpeckers

[ribirdnerd]

We had 3 species of woodpeckers on the suet feeder over the weekend - Northern Flicker, Downy and Red bellied Woodpeckers.
The Flicker is a new feeder visitor, I see them around but not typically on the suet.

Comments

[low_delta]

I didn't know flickers did suet.

Yes ...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Suet is for birds that mainly eat insects, thus woodpeckers, creepers, nuthatches, etc. Many omnivore birds (sparrows, starlings, etc.) will also eat suet if the feeder is one they can access.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/suet-mealworms-and-other-bird-foods/

https://marin.wbu.com/suet-feeders

https://mostfeed.com/blog/84211/suet-for-birds

I favor non-melting peanut suet because it is less greasy. Although it can theoretically be served in summer, my birds usually lose interest in spring (or else it's down to sparrows and starlings). I put up a fresh cake again sometime in fall, whenever it starts getting cooler and I notice migrating birds starting to shuffle the deck. In winter, it's nice to have a suet cake out so they'll have food even if the weather is too miserable to refill the seed feeders.

[ribirdnerd]

I have a mix of suet balls and a woodpecker block in there..so could be either.

Yay!

[ysabetwordsmith]

That's an exciting set. :D