What Do Woodpeckers Eat? Woodpeckers are magnificent birds classified under the family Picidae and sub-family Picinae.
These birds are found almost everywhere around the globe except in Madagascar, Australia, New Guinea, the polar regions, and New Zealand.
As suggested by their names, woodpeckers are drilling small holes in trees. These birds mainly feed on insects, nuts, seeds, berries, and sap.
Table of Contents
What Do Woodpeckers Eat?
| White Woodpecker | Melanerpes candidus | Seeds, fruits, and insects. |
| Bennetts Woodpecker | Campethera bennettii | Ants, beetles, and termites. |
| Ivory-billed Woodpecker | Campephilus principalis | Beetle larvae, arboreal termites, nuts, fruits, grains, and seeds. |
| Chestnut Woodpecker | Celeus elegans | Ants and termites. |
Woodpeckers Diet by Types
Over 300 woodpecker species have been described. These birds are further organized into tribes/phylogeny and different genera. This section will sample members from the different phylogenies and look at their habitats.
What Do White Woodpeckers Eat?
| Animalia | Piciformes | Picidae | Melanerpes | Melanerpes candidus |
White woodpeckers commonly dine on seeds, fruits, and insects.
- This species is native to South America. Its range covers Peru, Brazil, and Argentina.
- The white woodpecker is notable for its white underparts and head, with yellow patches on its belly and hindneck.
- This species commonly inhabits wooded savannahs, grassland, and rainforest edges.
What Do Bennett’s Woodpeckers Eat?
| Animalia | Piciformes | Picidae | Campethera | Campethera bennettii |
Bennett’s woodpeckers mainly feed on insects, particularly ants, beetles, and termites. They will likely be excavating ant nests located underground and scooping them using their specialized tongues.
- Bennett’s woodpecker is found in specific regions in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, and South Africa.
- This type of woodpecker commonly inhabits savannah, shrubland, and inland wetlands.
What Do Ivory-billed Woodpeckers Eat?
| Animalia | Piciformes | Picidae | Campephilus | Campephilus principalis |
The main diet of the Ivory-billed woodpeckers is beetle larvae. They also forage on the ground for insects, mainly arboreal termites. These birds also include nuts, fruits, grains, and seeds in their diet. This eating behavior confirms that these woodpeckers are omnivores.
- The ivory-billed woodpeckers previously inhabited a more significant portion of the southeastern parts of the United States.
- Slightly worrying is that their local population has been reduced due to habitat destruction (extensive logging).
- These woodpeckers are considered the largest in the US. They can grow to lengths of between 45-53 cm, and the average weight is between 450-570 g.
- Their average wingspan has been recorded to be about 78 cm.
- These woodpeckers get their name because they have long, white, chisel-shaped bills.
- The members of this species commonly inhabit forests with large trees. They prefer dying trees because they provide an abundant supply of food.
What Do Chestnut Woodpeckers Eat?
| Animalia | Piciformes | Picidae | Celeus | Celeus elegans |
The Chestnut woodpeckers are known to hunt ants and termites for their food.
- The chestnut woodpecker has a wide distribution. Its population has been spotted in Trinidad, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela.
- This woodpecker species is more extensive compared to other members of the genus Celeus.
- Compared to other woodpeckers in its genus, this species, like a yellow-cream-colored woodpecker, has no black markings on its wings and body.
- It sports a dark chestnut brown hue.
- The chestnut woodpecker commonly inhabits forests and edges of streams and lakes.
How Do Woodpeckers Hunt?
When looking for insects, woodpeckers dig/peck rotting, dying, diseased trees or other kinds of trees, which they consider likely spots for their prey. Some species hunt by excavating ant nests.
When Do Woodpeckers Eat?
Woodpeckers are mostly diurnal and will be found foraging for food and eating during daylight hours.
How Often Do Woodpeckers Eat?
How often woodpeckers eat depends on many factors, including age and their stage of development.
- For instance, nestlings feed more frequently to sustain their growth needs. The birds in the molting stage feed more frequently, as well.
- They spend more time resting and feeding because the process of creating new feathers requires more energy, which they can address by having a little extra to eat.
What Eats Woodpeckers?
Woodpeckers are vulnerable to predators who consider them a vital delicacy. Some of the organisms that hunt woodpeckers include some owl species, falcons, hawks, red foxes, raccoons, flying squirrels, and some snakes.
Where Do Woodpeckers Fit in the Animal Food Chain?
Woodpeckers are essential to the animal food chain as prey and predators.
- In their role as prey, they provide food to many organisms, thus promoting survival.
- As predators, woodpeckers help regulate the local population of the different kinds of insects they feed on. In essence, they promote the existence of a balance in their ecosystem.
