Winchester, Virginia
We can show you how to turn your yard into a birdfeeding habitat that brings song, color and life to your home.

Adult and Juvenile Downy WoodpeckersWoodpecker Family Activities

Families opting to stay close to home this summer won’t have to travel any farther than their backyards for fun and entertainment. Across the country, adult woodpeckers are introducing their young fledglings to a whole new world of experiences.

People who only feed the birds during the winter miss out on summer bird feeding fun and fascinating wild bird ‘family life’ activities. By mid-summer, woodpecker fledglings begin leaving the nest and are fed and taught to eat from feeders by their parents; a fascinating interaction to observe.

The health and growth rate of a fledgling is determined by the amount of nutritional foods it consumes. High-protein and high-calcium foods are especially important until a bird is full grown. Fledglings require a lot of protein to help them grow strong, properly-colored feathers and strong flight muscles.

Help your birds with high-protein foods like mealworms, peanuts, Jim's Birdacious® Bark Butter® and suet. These energy-packed foods will entice your birds and their young back to your yard. The young birds will learn the location of your bird food and begin to make return trips on their own.

You can recognize Downy and other woodpecker fledglings by their fresh and dapper plumage, whereas that of the adults is worn and dusky from their repeated trips in and out of the nest cavity.

After a few weeks, the parents stop feeding their fledglings and may even peck at them if they persist in begging for food to get them to feed themselves.

With lots of young woodpeckers around and the molting process in full swing, woodpeckers are seeking the extra calories and proteins that feeders can provide.

Visit us soon and we’ll make sure you have the expert advice and quality hobby products you need to make friends with some of the cutest birds in the neighborhood.