Ways To Support Woodpeckers Overwintering In Your Yard

Woodpeckers are a common bird you might find in your garden in winter, including species like downy woodpeckers and red-bellied woodpeckers. Both of these birds and several other woodpecker species remain in the U.S. year-round. While some homeowners cringe at the sight of a woodpecker due to their reputation for damaging trees and homes, most people perceive them as good guests. One of the major benefits of attracting woodpeckers to your yard is the many destructive insects they eat. Red-bellied woodpeckers, for example, are helping to reduce the damage done by the invasive and harmful emerald ash borer.

First and foremost, woodpeckers of all species require adequate roosting spots for the winter. If you want to show the woodpeckers that overwinter in your area a little more love, focus on ways to make your yard more hospitable to them. For example, letting dead trees stand in your yard is a simple, yet effective, way to provide more shelter. Dead-standing trees, referred to as snags, offer woodpeckers a multitude of insects to feast on if left alone to rot. A pile of old wood and branches stacked somewhere out of the way also provides ample cover for a variety of bird species. But if you don't have a lot of trees in your yard or space to keep a wood pile, consider getting a birdhouse to offer birds enclosed spaces out of the wind. 

Woodpeckers are known for being highly adaptable, especially in colder months, and most will not shy away from your yard if provided adequate food — ensuring access to their preferred foods will almost guarantee that the woodpeckers in your yard will have a successful winter season. It's especially important in the winter when their diets move from almost entirely insects to include more seeds and nuts. Although it can take time for them to mature, investing in sturdy, native trees like pines, oaks, and cherries will naturally provide woodpeckers with supplementary fruit, pine seeds, and acorns. If you want a native plant option to help woodpeckers in the winter, consider the serviceberry. This small shrub that produces berries that woodpeckers love, grows well throughout the U.S. with a moderate growth rate.

Other food options that will help woodpeckers in the winter are high-energy items like suet and bark butter. Suet cakes contain plenty of fat and protein, and feature nuts, seeds, and fruits. There are specific things you'll need in your suet blend to attract woodpeckers, especially pure rendered beef suet and not rendered beef fat. Beef suet is the best option for woodpeckers looking to store energy for colder times. Bark butter is another source of food that offers energy, and can be spread on trees, rocks, and other surfaces. If possible, spread bark butter near tree cavities to double the chance that woodpeckers will take advantage of your winter support.