Woodpeckers and nuthatches gone..but where?

14 years ago

New member here.

Back in November I put up a new feeder in a tree on my front lawn, and filled it with sunflower seeds. The next morning birds came like you wouldn't believe. I was particularly excited to see downy woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches visiting regularly. This lasted about a month and now the woodpeckers and nuthatches never come around anymore.Chickadees don't come around as much either. Everyone else still visits, however. Goldfinches, cardinals, house finches, and the ever-so-common house sparrows.

Anybody have any idea why they don't come by anymore? Will they ever come back?

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Comments (5)

dzyg
14 years ago
When the weather warms up and their are insects available some Not all birds like just sunflower seeds either. Downy woodpeckers love suet, nuthatches too and nuthathes also love peanuts. My chickadees while they love sunflowers they also love peanut pieces that I have out for the Bluejays but mostly in the spring/summer months Dees eat insects out of the trees. If you want to attract more birds add different types of feeders. However you could just wait for winter when food is more scarce and they will probably come back.

Donna
feather_z9_ncacoast
14 years ago
I would suggest that they are nesting and raising their young on insect food instead of nuts, seeds, etc. They will be back, and they will bring their babies....just watch :)
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GoldfinchGuy
Original Author
14 years ago
dzyg, I actually have a tray filled with safflower seed and a tube filled with thistle. I have a nice suet feeder that my father in-law made for me, but the only ones who even go near it are the squirrels, unfortunately. Not sure why birds shun my suet feeder.

I'll try some peanuts though.
terrene
14 years ago
Golfinchguy, if you can find a source for it, consider putting up some raw suet, which is just plain beef fat chunks cut from the kidney area of cows. It attracts the woodpeckers like crazy - the suet cage with raw suet that hangs on the big oak tree is their favorite feeder by far. Oftentimes people buy the suet cakes at the store and some of these mixtures are not appealing to birds.

Raw suet has the added advantage of not being attractive to House Sparrows, or grey squirrels (every once in awhile I see a red squirrel eating some). Other birds like it too - Chicks, nuthatches, blue jays, and even the blue birds will eat some if I don't put out their favorite nuggets (Bluebirds get special feedings whenever I see them!). Starlings do like the raw suet too, but I only get a few of those in the winter.
GoldfinchGuy
Original Author
14 years ago
Terrene, I will definitely try the raw suet. I dont live far from a market that specializes in meats. Thank you kindly for your input. I may have also have spoken too soon about my suet as well, because not even 30 minutes after i read your post I looked out my kitchen window and saw the neighborhood blue jay- a bird I have only seen fleeting glimpses of until now- munching away at it. It was a commercial blend that contained chilli pepper. It so far has done great at deterring squirrels. For the rest of the day I watched for the jay's return, but only saw house sparrows visiting it. I hope he/she comes back!

Woodpeckers and nuthatches gone..but where?

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dzyg

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Woodpeckers and nuthatches gone..but where?

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dzyg

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