Sweet-loving downy

Never in all the years I’ve put out a feeder for the hummingbirds have I seen a downy woodpecker drinking the sugar water until this summer. I’ve had Baltimore Orioles come to my hummingbird feeder, but never the little downy, who is a regular visitor.

I was surprised and curious, so I did a little research. At first, I thought the downy was after the ants that are usually present on the feeder. Woodpeckers are used to the sweet treat of tree sap and nectar is a source of quick energy. It turns out downy woodpeckers — like hummingbirds — have an unusually long tongue and they enjoy feeding on sugary man-made nectar we put in our hummingbird feeders. Northern Flickers and Red-bellied Woodpeckers also love to drink from the feeders, but it hasn’t happened at my house.

Many ornithologists and naturalists have confirmed that woodpeckers are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals — anything from insects, peanuts, nectar and even beetles. Some people discourage the woodpeckers from stopping at their hummingbird feeders because their bigger, heavier bodies tip the feeders and spill the nectar. I won’t deter the woodpecker because I enjoy watching it hang out at my feeder.