topic Re: Woodpeckers in Community Chat

Woodpeckers

Krimpette — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 16:09:58 GMT

Just glanced out my slider and there was a woodpecker at the suet cake and then feeeding it's youngster!!!!!! How cute! It's the large-sized woodpecker with the large red marking in the back of it's head. Not sure if it's considered a flicker or a red-bellied woodpecker. Anyway, whichever, it sure was cute to watch! The back of the head of the youngster was still much paler in color.

Re: Woodpeckers

SeaMaiden — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 16:16:50 GMT

They are only cute until they peck on your siding on your house and cause $3000 worth of damage.......

Re: Woodpeckers

Krimpette — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 16:22:36 GMT

@SeaMaiden Fortunately, I had all the wood trim on my house capped when I replaced the siding! But I know...they can be destructive.

Re: Woodpeckers

jpie — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 16:31:24 GMT

I have about 1/4 acre of wooded area for these birds to enjoy. If they would just stay in this habitat, I would perhaps enjoy them.........but.............

Not fond of woodpeckers as they have caused a lot of damage to the wooden support posts to both myself and my neighbors front entry areas. I have had to hire a carpenter to repair the damage at two different times. Plus, I had to have my regular pest control company spray the wood and investigate. There is no reason why they decided to destroy my home. There were no insects or larvae inside for them to enjoy!

I hope they stay where they belong for those that do enjoy them!

Re: Woodpeckers

Venezia — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 16:38:27 GMT

@Krimpette- We have several feeders right outside our back door and we get a variety of woodpeckers. We've also had what you describe - the father (red marking) feeding the young. I agree, it's wonderful to watch.

With all the common species, the male has the red marking on the back of its head, so you'd have to look it up to know which one you had. The one like Woody Woodpecker is a pileated woodpecker.

Once or twice I've had a young woodpecker land on our screen (learning to fly) but we've never had them damage our siding or home. I think I'd notice before they did $3000 worth of damage (wow!). They're certainly loud enough, when they're hammering away.

Could be because we have trees on our property and they peck at them (to get the insects). Enjoy your wildlife!

Re: Woodpeckers

SharkE — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 17:36:58 GMT

@SeaMaiden wrote:
They are only cute until they peck on your siding on your house and cause $3000 worth of damage.......

LOL True, I don't have that problem, but, a woman I knew that I met on vacation in New Mexico was griping about a woodpecker that was making holes for nest in side of her house she put out a contract on him. Something got him now she's pecker free.

Re: Woodpeckers

SeaMaiden — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 18:12:37 GMT

@Venezia Oh I knew they were doing the damage....I did everything possible to stop them...I would have shot them except they are protected were I live, I wish I had pictures of what damage they did....replaced that side of the house with hardy plank and that stopped it. They started another hole on another side of the house and I filled that and put a metal plate there. They are very persistent.

Re: Woodpeckers

SharkE — Fri, 09 Jun 2017 21:38:28 GMT

Glad I got brick

Re: Woodpeckers

Anniedog — Sat, 10 Jun 2017 00:27:40 GMT

We've also had woodpecker damage. We read somewhere that if you hang up an owl decoy that really discourages them. We found a full sized one and it really helped a lot. Thank goodness because our woodpeckers were even pecking our metal chimney. Talk about a racket!

Re: Woodpeckers

Drythe — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 01:44:50 GMT

Sounds like a Red Belly, love woodpeckers!

Re: Woodpeckers

Cats3000 — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 09:49:38 GMT

Several years ago, we had one pecking on our wood siding. They're strong birds. The sound was like a hammer banging on the house. Our Condo Association fixed the damage and the woodpecker hasn't been back since.

Re: Woodpeckers

KingstonsMom — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 10:20:02 GMT

@Krimpette

The largest woodpecker is the Pileated:

Red Headed:

Red bellied:

http://www.audubon.org/bird-family/woodpeckers#

Re: Woodpeckers

CelticCrafter — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 10:33:16 GMT

We had one that decided he liked to hang out on the flue pipe for the furnace and would peck at it.

The first time I heard the noise coming down the pipe into the house, I thought the furnace was getting ready to explode.

Re: Woodpeckers

Krimpette — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 12:48:24 GMT

@KingstonsMom. What I was seeing was definitely the red-belllied. Would love to see the other two!!!!!!!

Re: Woodpeckers

KingstonsMom — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 12:55:34 GMT

@Krimpette

The Pileated woodpeckers are huge!

We have all 3 of those here in our yard.

I was surprised that there are so many different types of woodpeckers, as shown in the link of my earlier post!

Re: Woodpeckers

Krimpette — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 15:02:03 GMT

@KingstonsMom. I agree! I know they can be destructive, but aren't they all gorgeous!!!!!

Re: Woodpeckers

Silver Lining — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 15:10:08 GMT

Sorry, I hit send by mistake. Fumble fingers.

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MoJoV — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 15:12:35 GMT

We have Downy Woodpeckers coming to our suet blocks. I've never seen them with babies,lucky you! We did have a robin mama raise 3 babies successfully in a nest she built on our front porch light. Now we have a nest of chickadees outside the kitchen window. Ahh nature!

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Spurt — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 16:04:04 GMT

I like Woodpeckers we get the Ladder Backs around here.....but they dont seem too smart....I have brick and my trim is brown and one was banging on the drain pipe I think he thought was a tree........

They dont stick around my area a lot because of Grackles and Cooper Hawks which are their enemies...........

Re: Woodpeckers

MKR14 — Sun, 11 Jun 2017 16:23:38 GMT

We have had a Pileated Woodpecker pecking away on a stump of a tree we had taken down in our front lawn. Here is a photo of the Woodpecker and he put a 6" by 13" hole and about 6" deep in the trunk. If you can enlarge this you will see what he did in a short amount of time. Amazing! The Woodpecker looked the size of a crow. Never had seen a large one before.