Woodpeckers are part of the Picidae family of birds and are indigenous to primarily woodland areas virtually worldwide. A few species live in treeless areas such as rocky hillsides and deserts.There are approximately 200 species of woodpeckers, with many being threatened or endangered due to loss or fragmentation of their habitats. Woodpeckers are unique in that they have strong bills for drumming and drilling into trees and long, sticky, bristled tongues for extracting food. They also possess a number of unique adaptations to protect their brains from the damage their drumming behaviors may inflict, nictating lenses and special feathers over their nose slits to protect them from debris and zygodactyl feet with the 1st and 4th toes facing backwards to allow for climbing tree trunks and grasping branches.
Woodpeckers may be sedentary or migratory and all are diurnal, meaning they are active during daylight hours and roost at night. While a woodpecker's diet mainly consists of insects, they are omnivores that will eat a variety of fruit, nuts, seeds and tree sap. Their voracious appetite for insects along with their bright colors and bold patterns make them welcome additions to many landscapes. If you find that your garden or landscape has become home to woodpeckers, there are a number of ways you can help them survive the cold winter months.
FOOD
Since insects are the primary diet for most woodpeckers, it will be necessary to help supplement their food supply through the winter. Place feeders in an upright position to support their preferred feeding posture. If at all possible, place feeders near mature trees for additional foraging and shelter. Woodpeckers will eat a variety of foods, including nuts, berries, suet, peanuts, peanut butter and black oil sunflower seeds. Suet and seed cakes that contain a variety of these food items make offering these birds a varied diet without breaking your bank easy. Dry mixes work well, too, but these should still be supplemented with suet or peanut butter as a main source of energy. In the warmer months of the following year, plant some low scrubby shrubs that produce berries over the winter months for an additional food source and shelter.
WATER
During warm weather months, woodpeckers prefer isolated natural areas of low lying water, but will visit bird baths when they are not occupied by their noisier brethren, During the winter, a heated bird bath is essential. If possible, keep one closer to the ground as this is the birds' preference and one on a stand for song birds.
SHELTER
You may wish to place bird boxes in your yard for woodpeckers to roost in during the cold days of winter. While they prefer roosting in deciduous or coniferous trees, they will easily adapt to life in appropriate bird houses. The added bonus of bird houses is that you can winterize them for your feathered friends to make their winter months a bit more cozy. Place bird boxes between 10 and 20 feet high in a location that faces opposite of the prevailing winter winds, preferably in a direction that allows the opening to receive afternoon sun for warmth. Line the box with grass, wood chips, shavings or sawdust for added insulation. If there is enough room inside the box, place a perch inside. This will allow multiple birds to roost together without suffocating each other. Adding a dark shingle to the top of the box is also highly recommended for two reasons. First, it will add insulation to the roof of the house. It will also act as a solar panel by absorbing the sun during the day and warming the inside of the box. Be sure to allow the shingle to hang over the front of the bird house to allow extra protection from blowing snow and rain. At the end of each season, remove the houses and clean them out before replacing them. This will lessen the woodpeckers exposure to pests, removes accumulated waste and provides them with a clean place to nest before breeding season begins.
