Woodpecker Peanut Feeders?

[Flicker_Qs]

Here are web addresses for the peanut feeders in the poll:
1: www.aspectsinc.com/5_Specialty%20Feeders.htm
2: www.backyardnatureproducts.com/birdstuff/ssteelfeeder.html
3: www.birdsforever.com/woodyfeeders.html
4: www.bromebirdcare.com/sbc/sbceindex.html
5: www.drollyankees.com/products.cfm?ID=123
6: orders.lebsea.com/lebsea/en/US/adirect/lebsea?cmd=OnlineOrderingPageD
Note: #4 excludes all birds weighing 4 oz or more including: Common Grackle, Northern Flicker, & Pileated Woodpecker.

Has anyone found a selective peanut feeder that attracts woodpeckers and somehow discourages Grackles &/or Starlings?

[Gord]

I like how #4 excludes the big birds and squirrels. A simple but effective method.

We dont get grackles out here but the starlings can be a problem. I never had too much a problem with starlings at my feeders unless the weather was very cold and then they would come.

[Flicker_Qs]

Yes, #4 is a good design if one doesn't mind excluding the Northern Flicker & Pileated Woodpecker. Also, this feeder will not exclude the Starlings as they weigh 3 oz. #4 is essentially the tube feeder version of the Heritage Farms hopper feeder: www.heritagefarms.biz/birdfeeders/sp/?cartid=256840903696163

My parents have #3 and if it is not properly baffled the squirrels will "redesign" this wood feeder until they gain access to the peanuts. Also, my parents have had problems with Cow birds and Grackles being able to gain access to the feed even though this feeder was designed to exclusively feed woodpeckers.

[deb&tony]

Hi-
The one woodpecker feeder that you don't have in your poll is the suet sandwich. This may solve the problems that you are experiencing. Suet is placed within the two sides of wood which only birds with long tongues (the woodpeckers) can reach and it features large surfaces areas made from bark that they can land on. I don't use one because the system I'm using seems to be working -a cage with a baffle and a metal peanut feeder also with a baffle. I keep these far enough away from the trunk of the tree so that it is out of jumping reach and in the shade. Of course, we only have native Douglas squirrels out this way so it isn't a problem plus they have their own feeders which are much easier to access.
The one concern I would have with using a suet sandwich feeder is that suet is not recommended for warm/hot temperatures. Once they discover your sandwich feeder perhaps you could switch from suet to peanuts only.
Hope that works for you.

[Flicker_Qs]

Hi Deb,

Yes, I'm familiar with the suet sandwich feeder.
thebluejaysgarden.com/9suetsandwich.html
www.backyardnatureproducts.com/avianaquatics.html
www.songbirdgarden.com/store/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=4390

In fact we have 2 of them. One is 5' up on the trunk of our Sugar Maple. The other is 15' up on our Hybrid Poplar so we can see it out one of our second floor windows. It is on a rope & pulley so that it can be refilled without needing a ladder. I agree that it works exactly as advertised.

The reason for the peanut feeder is to encourage the woodpeckers. To date, suet alone has not been sufficient in attracting the woodpeckers as regular visitors. We occasionally have Downy woodpeckers and one time I saw a red-bellied. My parents, on the other hand, have had great success using Lyric Woodpecker Mix in attracting: Downy, Hairy, Red-Bellied woodpeckers and Northern Flickers as daily visitors. So I thought I try it:
orders.lebsea.com/lebsea/en/US/adirect/lebsea?cmd=OnlineOrderingPageDisplay&external.hdrHeight=134&external.brand=Lyric&external.ReturnURL=http://www.lyricbirdfood.com&external.HomeURL=http://www.lyricbirdfood.com&external.topCat=Birds

[Flicker_Qs]

It took from April 18 to Sunday June 3 before we finally had multiple visits in a single day by a pair of Downy Woodpeckers to the Lyric Woodpecker mix in our peanut feeder.