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Will Red bellied and Red headed woodpeckers use same feeders?

15 years ago

It never occurred to me until tonight that the Gardenweb might have a birding forum. I'm excited to find you!

I've had a pair of Red Headed Woodpeckers visiting my feeders for close to two weeks. Typically I always have Red Bellied Woodpeckers but just realized that I haven't been seeing them. Is it possible that they stopped coming to the feeders because of the Red Headed Woodpeckers? Another thought is concerning me. This is the first year that I have put grape jam out for the Orioles. The Red Bellies were eating a lot of it. Is it possible that the jam was not good for them?

Thanks! Linda Renee (Ohio)

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Comments (3)

donald lucius
15 years ago
don't know about your woodpeckers but i have a pair of lewis's woodpeckers who have nested here last 3 years.
i also have lots of orioles and i put out fruit and jelly and watermelon for the orioles, the young Lewis's love the jelly and watermelon and eat lots of fruit and they come back every year. i also have downeys and hairys and flickers that use the same feeders as the Lewis's
cjc45
15 years ago
I've never had red heads at the feeder but I've regularly had red-bellied and downy woodpeckers at the same time. The red-bellied used to run off the starlings. Those big bills are useful in more ways than one. :>)
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Hi ribs1, It's a gazebo style feeder, made of metal or aluminum most-likely that I bought at Menards. I feed strictly hulled sunflower seeds, albeit they are very expensive, but there is no waste whatsoever. I also have a suet feeder underneath and about 5' away from it, that I built, and holds two blocks. So far the Red-headed haven't ventured to it, but I bet they will, given enough time. Dax
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What a great family activity - I hope you are able to continue your checklist. Since you are in Central Tx, you may have seen a Golden-fronted woodpecker. The males have the red spot you describe. Good find, if that is your bird. Perhaps others will have another possibility... Candy
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When you all talk about suet, do you mean the packaged gooey stuff that goes in the square green wired baskets, or the bell-shaped thingy with seeds all over it? Or something enrirely different?? Terrene, what is a log? Can you post a picture of what you all are talking about? Oh, and I did see the woodpecker yesterday evening, but not at my feeder. He (actually she) was flying from one tree to another. It was funny watching her. On the tree she stopped at, she landed on the trunk and hopped backwards (down the trunk) and then after a little pecking, hopped back upwards.
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frank_il
15 years ago
Yes, they will use the same feeder, but they may not use them them at the same time. RH WPs are pretty aggressive. Mine used to make sure that nothing else used them while they are around.

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