I recently had an encounter with a Red-bellied Woodpecker in my yard. Although I noticed the Woodpecker near my bird-feeder, it wasn’t sticking around for long because all I had in the feeder was sunflower seeds, which are not their favorite food.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers prefer nuts, fruits, and insects, so I quickly swapped the sunflower seeds for raw almonds in the feeder. Before long, the almonds attracted the Red-bellied Woodpecker, and I was able to get a close-up shot of this bird with an almond in its beak.
Why Raw Almonds Brought This Bird Back
This visit reminded me how much food choice can affect feeder activity. Sunflower seeds bring in many birds, but this woodpecker wanted something different.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers prefer nuts, fruits, and insects. They also have barbed tongues that help them reach insects hidden inside trees.
I have watched similar feeder behavior before, including the activity in Red-bellied Woodpeckers Feeder Visits.
A backyard feeder can offer a good view when the right food is available. In this case, the raw almonds made the difference.
Photographing a Quick Backyard Woodpecker Visit
I photographed the bird as it held the almond. The close view helped make the image simple and direct.
I used the long end of my zoom lens for this frame. That let me stay back while still filling the frame with the bird.
Camera details:
- Camera: Canon EOS R7
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500 mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- Location: Lavaca, Arkansas
- Date and time: April 28, 2023, 7:52 A.M.
- Aperture: f/8
- Shutter speed: 1/640
- ISO: 3200, Auto
- Focal length: 500 mm
This was a small backyard moment, but it paid off. A simple food change brought the bird back, and the almond helped tell the story.
I have never heard of this bird but he is very pretty. Thanks for sharing.
Love your photos! I’m just learning a little about birds and am partial to my woodpeckers. I Need to vary their diet I guess.