Will woodpeckers kill my trees? (1 Viewer)

NovaBird

Owner: NovaBirds Cam

• Feb 4, 2013

• #1

A few months ago, I set up the NovaBirds webcam. I set up suet and have succeeded in attracting numerous Hairy and Downy woodpeckers.

I felt very happy about this..however, now the woodpeckers constantly hang out in the Ash trees beside the feeder, and I have noticed they are taking a few chunks of bark off of the trees.

My husband has threatened to take down my feeder if the woodpeckers are going to kill the trees by the damage they are doing.

Please tell me that they aren't killing the trees! My mind tells me that from an evolutionary standpoint, it makes no sense for woodpeckers to kill healthy trees, but then again, weirder things have occurred.

Do I need to stop feeding them?

 

J

JeffMoh

Well-known member

• Feb 4, 2013

• #2

I checked this out with several experts a while back. They all agreed that woodpeckers and sapsuckers do no significant harm to healthy trees. You often see them on damaged trees. However, it seems that the birds are not responsible for the damage but are rather drawn to trees that already aren't healthy.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Feb 4, 2013

• #3

As Jeff says, they are attracted to trees already in a dying state and filled with termites and other bugs. No worries as to healthy trees

 

dantheman

Bah humbug

• Feb 4, 2013

• #4

Change your husband?

 

NovaBird

Owner: NovaBirds Cam

• Feb 4, 2013

• #5

Hahah Dan!

Thanks guys. The trees the are chipping bark from are healthy by appearance. We don't have termites, but do have a lot of ants. It's winter and freezing here...so they must be looking for bugs under the bark.

So, even chipping a little bark from the trees in numerous places wont do harm unless the trees are already sick I am assuming?

 

F

fugl

Well-known member

• Feb 4, 2013

• #6

Here's all that BNA-online (an authoritative source for North American birds) has to say about Hairy Woodpecker damage to human interests--

"Sometimes a problem as a result of excavation on buildings and other structures. . .".

As you can see, no mention whatever of damage to trees.

 

Last edited: Feb 5, 2013

A2GG

Beth

• Feb 4, 2013

• #7

yes, I've heard complaints from homeowners of damage to their houses from woodpeckers. As others have mentioned trees shouldn't be killed from them looking
for insects and they will usually make the cavities for nesting in dead trees or already dead sections of trees. It's a little easier to make the cavity in a dead tree plus the rotting parts will have insects for them to find and eat.

Thankfully there is no real life Woody Woodpecker species...many
of us would have little stars floating around our heads and serious headaches

 

NovaBird

Owner: NovaBirds Cam

• Feb 5, 2013

• #8

Thank-you everyone

 

carjug

Well-known member

• Feb 5, 2013

• #9

I have heard or read that sapsuckers can damage and kill trees, but most regular woodpeckers are actually beneficial.
If your trees are being frequented by woodpeckers, perhaps it is time to plant some saplings. Beautiful old trees are often sick and full of carpenter ants. Woodpeckers clean out the ants, but they can't make the trees healthy again.

 

F

fugl

Well-known member

• Feb 6, 2013

• #10

carjug said:

I have heard or read that sapsuckers can damage and kill trees. . ..

Click to expand...

Even that is open to question. Here's BNA-online again (with specific reference to the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker)--

Historically considered pest in orchards and shot as a result; no longer the case. Some concern about destruction of trees in forests; some researchers suggest sapsuckers cause reduction in growth of trees (e.g., birch), and each pair kills 1 or 2 trees/yr because of girdling by sap wells (Lawrence 1967, Rushmore 1969) but little evidence to support these assertions (L. S. Eberhardt pers. comm.).

 

B

bertj

New member

• Mar 4, 2013

• #11

Woodpeckers! Between the hairy, downy and pileateds suet has become a budget item. If there's space available plant a weed tree or two, like a poplar. A 12' tree 6 years ago is now over 100' and the woodpeckers spend their time on those when the feeders busy.