Woodpeckers are fascinating birds that can add life and activity to any garden. Their characteristic pecking on tree trunks creates a charming sound that many people enjoy listening to. Woodpeckers play an important role in pest control by feeding on wood-boring beetle larvae, carpenter ants, and other insects that can damage trees. In this article we talk about How to Create a Woodpeckers-Friendly Garden in 5 Easy Steps.
Attracting woodpeckers to your garden can be rewarding but does require some planning and effort. By providing the right habitat elements that woodpeckers need – food, shelter, water and nesting sites – you can convert your garden into a woodpecker haven.
Follow these 5 easy steps to create a woodpecker-friendly garden:
Step 1: Leave Dead Trees and Branches
Woodpeckers spend a large amount of time foraging on dead and dying trees searching for their main food source – wood-boring insects and larvae. Leave standing dead trees (snags) wherever it is safe to do so. Also leave dead branches on live trees as feeding sites. Woodpeckers excavate nest cavities in snags which future generations of woodpeckers and other cavity nesters like chickadees and nuthatches may reuse.
Step 2: Plant Native Trees
Plant a variety of native tree species in your garden like oak, maple, cottonwood, alder, aspen and fruit trees. Native insects have adapted and co-evolved with native trees over thousands of years. This makes native trees more likely to harbor the wood-boring beetle larvae, carpenter ants and other insects that woodpeckers prey on. A mix of tree ages and sizes will support insects that woodpeckers feed at different times of the year.
Step 3: Create a Brush Pile
Build a brush pile in your garden using pruned branches, small logs and sticks. Stack the cuttings loosely into a pyramid shape. As the brush pile decays over time, it will attract carpenter ants and other insects which woodpeckers will forage on. Smaller songbirds like wrens and sparrows will use your brush pile for shelter too. Just ensure not to place the brush pile touching a building or tree.
Step 4: Set Up a Suet Feeder
Supplement woodpecker’s natural food sources with suet feeders. Suet is essentially hardened beef fat combined with nuts, seeds and grains. Hang suet feeders on trees, poles or specially designed suet cages. Place suet feeders near trees to encourage woodpeckers to fly back and forth to feed. Consider making your own homemade suet using recycled cooking fat. Store bought suet can become expensive over time.
Step 5: Provide a Water Source
Install a birdbath, add a water feature or simply put out a container with water. Woodpeckers drink and bathe frequently. Having a reliable water source in your garden will attract not just woodpeckers but become popular with other birds. Place your birdbath near vegetation, branches or a tree so birds have a place to perch and preen after bathing. Make sure to regularly clean and refresh the water. Consider installing a birdbath heater or mister during winter.
Additional Tips:
- Allow woodpecker nest cavities to remain in trees to provide future nest sites. Woodpeckers may reuse sites for many generations. Other species also use old woodpecker cavities.
- Reduce garden pesticide use which can reduce insects woodpeckers feed on and become concentrated in birds that consume contaminated insects.
- Install nest boxes if you don’t have many mature trees suitable for nesting. Especially helpful if you need to remove dead trees.
- Plant native berry producing shrubs like elderberry, serviceberry and dogwood to provide fruits woodpeckers may eat, especially in winter.
- Use a variety of feeders for seeds, nuts and suet to attract woodpeckers and other desirable backyard birds.
Be Patient
It may take some time for woodpeckers to find the buffet you created in your garden. Once a few discover and settle into your backyard oasis, they act like the best advertisers by excavating nests and calling to attract mates which draws in more woodpeckers over time. With the right habitat and a little patience, your garden will soon become a woodpecker wonderland!
The characteristic tapping and drumming of woodpeckers is a pleasant reminder of nature that never fails to make me smile. I hope these tips help you convert your garden into a woodpecker haven so you too can enjoy hosting these captivating birds. Transforming your outdoor space into a bird-friendly landscape provides endless entertainment while benefiting garden health and local ecosystems too. I sincerely hope you find this “How to Create a Woodpeckers-Friendly Garden in 5 Easy Steps” article helpful.