Woodpeckers are unique forest dwellers recognized for their distinctive drilling habits, but their diet is far more varied than simply pecking wood. These birds, belonging to the family Picidae, display remarkable flexibility in their feeding, adapting their menu based on the specific species, available resources, and the changing seasons. Their specialized anatomy allows them to exploit food sources unavailable to most other birds, making them an important part of the forest ecosystem.
Primary Diet of Insects and Larvae
The core of a woodpecker’s diet consists of arthropods, which they expertly extract from beneath the bark or within decaying wood. Wood-boring beetle larvae are a highly nutritious and sought-after food source, forming the bulk of the animal material consumed by many species. These larvae can make up to 75% of the diet for some woodpeckers, as they provide concentrated protein and fat necessary for energy.
Woodpeckers also consume large quantities of social insects, such as carpenter ants and termites, which they access by excavating extensive galleries in wood. The Pileated Woodpecker, for example, frequently targets carpenter ant colonies, creating impressive, rectangular excavations that can be a foot or more long to follow the ant tunnels. Other insects like spiders, caterpillars, and wasps are also consumed, sometimes caught mid-air in a behavior known as flycatching.
Their foraging relies on specialized tools, beginning with their strong, chisel-like bills used for drilling. Once a chamber is opened, the woodpecker deploys its long, barbed tongue to spear or rake the prey from the deep recesses of the wood. Some species, like the Green Woodpecker, are ant specialists and use their sticky tongues to lap up thousands of ants a day from the ground or anthills.
Seasonal Plant-Based Foods
When insect availability declines, particularly during the colder months, woodpeckers shift their foraging focus to plant-based materials. These foods provide the carbohydrates and fats necessary for insulation and energy maintenance. Nuts, especially acorns, are a preferred resource due to their high caloric content.
Woodpeckers often display caching behavior, wedging nuts into crevices in bark, fence posts, or utility poles for later consumption. The Acorn Woodpecker is the most famous example, living in communal groups and drilling thousands of individual holes in specialized “granary trees” to store acorns. Other nuts, such as pecans and beech nuts, are also collected and stored to create a winter food reserve.
Beyond nuts, woodpeckers readily consume a variety of wild fruits and berries, including sumac, holly, dogwood, and wild grapes. These items are typically consumed directly from the plant and provide a quick source of sugar. Seeds, such as those from pine cones, are also incorporated into their diet.
The Specialized Diet of Tree Sap
The sapsucker group of woodpeckers specializes in consuming tree fluid. These birds employ a distinct feeding method that involves drilling precise rows of small, shallow holes, known as “sap wells,” into the bark of live trees. These wells are only deep enough to access the sugary phloem and xylem sap.
Sapsuckers must return repeatedly to these wells to keep the sap flowing. The bird laps up the sugary liquid using a specialized, brush-tipped tongue. This liquid diet is supplemented by small arthropods, such as gnats, that become trapped in the sticky, flowing sap, providing a convenient source of protein.
They exhibit a strong preference for trees with high sugar concentrations, frequently targeting birch, maple, and various fruit trees. The rows of rectangular holes left by sapsuckers are a distinctive sign of their feeding, which can attract other animals like hummingbirds and squirrels that also seek the exposed tree fluid. This specialized liquid consumption ensures a year-round food supply, even when insects are scarce.