skip to main content

Downy woodpeckers at hummingbird feeders

9 years ago

Soon, it will be time to take the feeders down, due to the hummers leaving. The magic question is, should I leave them up until the freezing weather hits, or should I remove them before, so the peckers don't become somewhat dependent on them? I've gotten quite a kick from seeing them visit daily, and tag teaming each other out, when not being run off by a hummer ;)

This post was edited by tracey_nj6 on Mon, Aug 25, 14 at 16:18

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

catherinet
9 years ago
Wow..........I've never seen that!
tracey_nj6
Original Author
9 years ago
I have never seen this in the 8 years (give or take) that I've had the feeders out, but this year, I have a quite a few of them, each and every day. I also have 3 birdbaths spread out around the house, which they never visit.
Related Discussions
Hummingbird Feeders are UP! Are Yours?
Q
Comments (17)
Hi Christie...yeah, I've been a slacker....seems Facebook gets more of my attention these days. Gardens are doing well but we seem to have a bumper crop of armadillos this year....those little ****** are digging up everything! How are you and your gardens, in spite of the lack of rain? Dirtguy, I too have noticed a huge increase in woodpeckers and birds in general. We thought it because of the black oilier sunflower seeds we've been feeding them, but after reading your post, I guess not. Big increase in birds but a huge decrease in hummingbirds....I wonder why that is?
...See More
Hummingbirds at my back porch feeders
Q
Comments (21)
Looked at your album and your garden is totally delightful! I love your decor, the bird cages, swans, roses, swings, ponds, flamingos, and absolutely everything else!!! Q: What is the plant in photo #25 with the bumblebee. I looks like some sort of shrimp plant, or maybe a blooming oregano. Thank you for letting us look. Funny thing though -- when I copied and pasted the last link you gave it took me to my album on Photobucket ... LOL! I got to your album from the first link with the hummingbird video and looking at upper right hand corner like you said.
...See More
Will Red bellied and Red headed woodpeckers use same feeders?
Q
Comments (3)
don't know about your woodpeckers but i have a pair of lewis's woodpeckers who have nested here last 3 years. i also have lots of orioles and i put out fruit and jelly and watermelon for the orioles, the young Lewis's love the jelly and watermelon and eat lots of fruit and they come back every year. i also have downeys and hairys and flickers that use the same feeders as the Lewis's
...See More
leaking hummingbird feeders ... !!
Q
Comments (19)
here anyway the orioles and tanagers eat the fruit best oranges and watermelon and apples. But the woodpeckers and grosbeaks do eat some. I use the regular grape jelly from the grocery store both the store brands and welch's jelly. I had several jars of homemade apricot jam in the pantry from last year and tried it and the birds enjoyed it. My orioles and tanagers have already left for the year headed south but the grosbeaks are still here and eat raisens and jelly the hummingbirds here leave out in september when it started frosting at night. I take down my necter feeders by the last of september. I was lucky this spring to have a pair of Lewis's woodpeckers fledge 4 young woodpeckers and they loved the jelly and watermelon and really devored the homemade woodpeker blocks made with sorgum and nuts and rasens and fruit bits. They have left recently but hope to see them in the spring. Our seasons here change earlier because of the higher elevations and mountains so we are probably way ahead of you in cool weather and frosts. which starts the summer birds on their way south.
...See More
catherinet
9 years ago
Is that a downy or a hairy? Is it mostly those kind that come to your feeder? I hope they don't get their beaks stuck!

You have the same brand of feeder that I do. I like it because it doesn't have any yellow.......which really has cut down on bees being attracted to it and drowning.

Although....this is the first year ever that bumble bees are spending the entire day there! I wish they were out pollinating flowers instead! They are little piggies. Sometimes I think they might not even be able to take off from the feeder, they might be too fat! I told someone that I'm afraid they might get dia'bee'tes. haha

Back to your woodpeckers........I don't know if they're just being lazy or they don't have enough "natural" stuff to eat. I might be tempted to leave it up for awhile longer....... but I'm not sure! Good luck.
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
I'd never heard of this but it's mentioned on Cornell's All About Birds website in the section on Food.

"Downy Woodpeckers are common feeder birds, eating suet and black oil sunflower seeds and occasionally drinking from hummingbird feeders."

I also found a nice reference: Birdlife: Woodpeckers stick out their tongues for nectar.

"A woodpecker's unusually long tongue is mainly an adaptation to find and capture insects. After drilling a hole, a woodpecker sticks its tongue into the hole and explores for insects. The sticky barbed tip of the tongue helps capture and remove insects. Woodpeckers also explore cracks and crevices (and sometimes hummingbird feeders) with their sensitive tongues."

I'd leave the feeders up until it gets really cold in case some late migrating hummers come through. The downies are probably enjoying a sweet snack in addition to their normal diet.

Claire
catherinet
9 years ago
Thanks for that info, Claire. If I were a bug or a bird.......I'd find it pretty darned hard to pass up sugar water. :)
catherinet
9 years ago
DUH.........I just re-read the title of your post........Downy woodpeckers.
tracey_nj6
Original Author
9 years ago
LOL catherinet; it's hard enough to tell them apart, and my downy's have been looking a bit larger than usual (probably bulking up on the sugar water!!!), but the hairy's are noticably bigger. I only have a few hummers each year, but this is the first year that I'd ever seen a noticable drop in the sugar water level.

Initially, I thought I had discovered something new and different, only to Google it and find that it's quite common. Don't know why it's so common this year, at least at my feeders. Out of the blue.

I normally leave my feeders out until November, even though the hummers leave by mid September. I guess I'll just wing it.
tracey_nj6
Original Author
9 years ago
Although I still see them every day at the suet/seed cake feeder, they seem to have given up their need for the sugar water. As strange as it may sound, once the hummers left, the downy's stopped visiting that feeder...
surya55_gw
9 years ago
How fascinating- thanks for sharing your story!
catherinet
9 years ago
Hmmmm.....that's curious that they quit after the hummers left.

Maybe they were just doing it to tick off the hummers, and once they left, the thrill was gone. hahaha

I'm in central Indiana and haven't seen a hummer for several weeks. But unfortunately, the hummer feeders seemed to have been taken over by bees for quite awhile. I can't believe how many bees were always at the feeder. Today I'm seeing a butterfly there.
I guess lots of flying things like sugar water!
claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
9 years ago
"Maybe they were just doing it to tick off the hummers, and once they left, the thrill was gone. hahaha "

I've noticed that when the hummers first leave the chickadees sometimes drink out of the center moat, looking around as if they're waiting to be dive-bombed. I've also felt that they were doing it to annoy the hummers.

Claire

edit note: Several times I've been sitting on the deck and got buzzed by a couple of chickadees - I swear they were giggling.

This post was edited by claire on Wed, Oct 22, 14 at 17:53

Related Stories

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Backyard Birds: How to Identify Two Common Woodpeckers

By Habitat Network

Downy and hairy woodpeckers have similar coloration and behavior. But there are two big differences that separate them

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Invite Entertaining Hummingbirds Into Your Garden

By Habitat Network

Hummingbirds — unique to the Americas — zip through open landscapes seasonally or year-round. Here’s how to attract them

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Backyard Birds: Marvel at Chickadees This Winter

By Habitat Network

These North American natives flock to bird feeders and entertain with their complex birdcalls

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Healthy Home Habitats for Northern Flickers

By Habitat Network

These colorful woodpeckers found across the U.S. and Canada love berries, seeds and ants and often nest in deep burrows in trees

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Backyard Birds: Meet Some Clever and Curious Jays

By Habitat Network

Boisterous jays provide plenty of backyard bird-watching in winter. Here’s how to identify all the varieties and welcome them into your yard

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Northern Cardinals in the Snow, and Other Red Birds

By Habitat Network

Brilliant crimson feathers make these friends stand out in a crowd

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Backyard Birds: Those Nutty Nuthatches

By Habitat Network

The North American songbirds, which often perch upside down, make themselves known in the winter landscape

GARDENING GUIDES 13 North American Backyard Birds to Know

By Annie Thornton

Find out about these enchanting native species and learn how to attract them to your yard

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES A Quick-Start Guide to Bird-Watching for Fun and Learning

By Alison Hodgson

Set out some seed and grab your field guide. Bird-watching is an easy, entertaining and educational activity for the whole family

GARDENING FOR BIRDS Feed the Birds: 6 Plants for Abundant Winter Berries

By Therese Ciesinski

Be kind to your fair feathered friends during lean food times by planting a shrub or tree loaded with nutritious snacks

Sponsored

More Discussions

A MORE SPECIFIC QUESTION, PLEASE

0

What bird is this?

2

Did you know Hummingbird-flower mites?

0

where is everybody?

0