Best Feeders for Woodpeckers

Pileated Woodpecker feeding from our Starling Proof Suet & Peanut Feeder

Starling Proof Suet & Peanut Feeder (available in store)

• What it is: The WBU Starling Proof Suet/Peanut Feeder is designed to make it impossible for large birds (such as grackles or starlings) and squirrels to eat your suet and no-melt dough cakes; but can also be used to offer smaller birds peanuts in the shell. The cage around the suet feeder allows only smaller birds to enter while the larger woodpeckers use their superior clinging skills and long tongue to reach the food (as shown in the photo above). Grackles and starlings cannot feed from this feeder. The WBU Starling Proof Suet Feeder accommodates 3 suet or no-melt dough cakes and whole peanuts (in the shell). 
  
  
• Why woodpeckers love it: The Starling Proof Suet and Peanut Feeder keeps larger birds and squirrels away, leaving all the food for the woodpeckers and small songbirds. This allows woodpeckers to feed in peace on their favourite food items. Not only does this feeder protect the food inside, it can also act as a place of refuge for downy woodpeckers if there is a predator nearby. They can simply slip inside the cage and keep out of harms way.

Hairy Woodpecker & Northern Flicker feeding from Suet Cylinder Log Feeder

Suet Cylinder Log Feeder (available in store and online)

• What it is: This beautiful suet cylinder feeder is made of a hardy resin to mimic a log and give birds a natural suet cylinder feeding experience. It’s even easier to attract suet-eating birds such as woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees to your bird feeding station. Simply drop one of our exclusive No-melt Suet Cylinders into the powder coated metal feeder, hang it and watch your birds enjoy. This feeder has the capacity to hold one No-Melt Suet Dough Cylinder.
  
  
• Why woodpeckers love it: The Suet Cylinder Log Feeder was designed to replicate the look and feel of tree bark, helping birds feel at ease approaching the feeder and feeding from it. The texture of the "bark" on the feeder provides great traction for birds as they climb and feed, and the scattered feeding holes imitate a natural feeding area. The weight of the Log Feeder keeps it sturdy as larger birds such as Northern Flickers or Pileated Woodpeckers land, making it more comfortable for them to feed from. The Suet Cylinder Log Feeder doubles as a suet cylinder feeder and a Bark Butter feeder, making it especially attractive to many species including those who may not typically visit bird feeders such as Brown Creepers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, and even some warbler species.
  
  

Pileated Woodpecker feeding from Pileated Tail Prop Suet Feeder

EcoTough Pileated Tail Prop Suet Feeder (available in store and online)

• What it is: Invite the largest woodpeckers in the neighbourhood to hang out in your backyard with our WBU EcoTough® Double Tail Prop Suet Feeder for Pileated Woodpeckers. This bird feeder not only offers two WBU Suet Cakes or WBU No-Melt Dough Cakes but its specially designed extra-large paddle also allows large woodpeckers, such as Pileated Woodpeckers to prop their stiff tail feathers against it for extra support while they feed. For convenience, leave suet cakes in their plastic containers to enjoy the birds on the open side that faces your window.  Smaller cage bars helps to prevent squirrels from eating food through the bars. 

• Why woodpeckers love it: Woodpeckers have evolved to have strong tail feather quills (hollow shaft in center of feather) which act as a prop to help support their unique foraging and nesting habits. Being able to use their tails in this way allows them to feed and excavate cavities comfortably from nearly any angle. Our Tail Prop Suet Feeders were designed specifically with woodpeckers' comfort in mind. Each Tail Prop Feeder features a long, sturdy prop at the bottom of the feeder to allow woodpeckers to use their tails to balance and feed with ease. This feeder also allows for multiple woodpeckers to feed at once!

Red-bellied Woodpecker feeding from Seed Cylinder Feeder

Seed Cylinder Feeder (available in store and online)

• What it is: Our WBU Seed Cylinder Bird Feeders are the perfect blend of creative design and bird feeding functionality. Whether you want to attract clinging birds such as woodpeckers, or perching birds like chickadees, these feeders will accommodate a variety of birds and their eating preferences. They're easy to fill and are capable of housing our small (2 lbs.) or large (4.5 lbs.) Seed Cylinders, Stackables and No-Melt Suet Dough Cylinders.  This sleek feeder comes with either a red or green roof. 
  
  
• Why woodpeckers love it: Woodpeckers are clinging birds, meaning they hook their toes and nails on and into the surface their feeding from. Seed cylinders are perfect for this application, and they are large enough to accommodate more than one bird feeding at a time - except maybe more than one Pileated Woodpecker! Seed Cylinders are made of a variety of different seeds packed tightly into a tidy & convenient cylinder, designed to last. They come in a wide variety of blends allowing you to choose which is right for your backyard birds, including Safflower, No-Mess, Nesting SuperBlend, Woodpecker Blend, Hot Pepper varieties, and more.

Want to learn more about woodpeckers and how to attract them to your yard? Check out these blogs:

• Tips for Attracting Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers
  
• Attracting Woodpeckers in Winter
  
• 5 Fun Facts About Woodpeckers
  

Happy trails!
- Shayna