What Do Woodpeckers Eat? The Best Woodpecker Food
Updated: Mar. 08, 2022
Attract woodpeckers to your yard with the best woodpecker food. Learn what woodpecker eat and the best birdseed and feeders for woodpeckers.
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What Foods Do Woodpeckers Eat?
Snow, sleet and bitterly cold temperatures are no match for woodpeckers. Their can’t-miss black and white markings, with an occasional sprinkling of red, stand out as they acrobatically forage around bare tree trunks and brave the winter months. Find out what do woodpeckers eat, and offer the best woodpecker food at your feeders. Attract more woodpeckers with this simple yet satisfying menu.
1. Suet
Woodpeckers aren’t picky. You can make your own suet. Beef fat straight from the butcher will do; there’s no need to render it. Store-bought suet cakes get the job done, too. A basic suet cage feeder is inexpensive, and premade cakes slide right in for a perfect fit. Check out the best suet feeders for winter birds.
2. Peanuts
Shelled or unshelled, peanuts are a delicious snack that woodpeckers gobble up. You can find feeders made specifically for peanuts. Companies that sell nuts have jumped on the birding bandwagon and sell peanut feed that doesn’t make the cut for human consumption. Remember: Unsalted peanuts are best. Discover more backyard birds that eat peanuts.
3. Black Oil Sunflower Seeds
Downy and hairy woodpeckers are particularly fond of this all-around favorite. Because woodpeckers are a bit bigger than the average songbird, you should serve sunflower seeds in a hopper or platform feeder to give them easy access. Check out the best sunflower seed bird feeders for your yard.
4. Peanut Butter
Here’s an easy, no-fuss way to feed and attract woodpeckers: Simply smear peanut butter directly on tree trunks. Or buy a log feeder and fill the predrilled holes with the gooey, high-fat snack. Any regular brand of peanut butter that you have in the pantry will work, but avoid low-fat varieties.
Woodpeckers Species to Watch For
Next, find out why woodpeckers peck and how to stop it.
