The downy woodpecker is the smallest and yet it is the most common woodpecker in the United States. The Downy Woodpecker is a gorgeous sight in backyards all over North America. In order to attract the downy woodpecker to your home, consider the investment in a quality sunflower feeder. They will continuously come to visit you if you provide these birds with a regular supply of their favorite foods.

Choosing the Right Sunflower Feeder
A wide range of sunflower feeder products are on the market that can work well, but there are a few things to remember before you buy these, in particular for the downy woodpecker.

• This particular woodpecker will dine mostly on insects or black oil sunflower seeds from feeders, but it will do well with suet bird food, too. You can position both in your garden. It is advised that a birder have both black-oil sunflower seeds and suet for the best results!
• Keep in mind that the downy woodpecker loves to eat insects. Purchase a bird feeder you can mount near wooded areas so that they have a regular supply of the food they love.
• When these birds create a nest, the male will usually try to create a cavity in dead wood, or dead portions of living trees. If you have an old woodpile, place your bird feeder in this area. These birds can lay between three to eight eggs per clutch.
• Its food source must be approximal to its living quarters. Choose a sunflower feeder that hangs from a tree branch or set up a pole nestled into the wooded area for the best results.

Select a feeder that allows the downy woodpecker to cling. These birds are able to hang upside down and they will enjoy a bird feeder that gives them plenty of space to do this. It is best to provide these birds with suet as well as bird foods, though. For that reason, try to choose a sunflower feeder that allows you to also hang a suet cage onto it or position a suet cage some place nearby. This will help you to attract the birds on a regular basis.

Be mindful of the fact that these birds love to consume insects. Avoid using chemicals on grasses and in wooded areas that would decrease the availability of insects as this will hold back these woodpeckers from calling your area home. While the sunflower feeder will bring them into your yard, the woodpeckers’ diet will also consist of insects and other food.