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In your garden
23 January 2008
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Image: Nigel Blake
Great spotted woodpeckers have become common visitors to gardens all over most of the British Isles, with the notable exception of Ireland (where there are no woodpeckers).
They will happily tuck in at feeders containing peanuts, sunflower seeds and fat, and sometimes peck at apples in search of grubs inside. In late spring, adult woodpeckers often bring their offspring to feeders.
Leaving dead trees standing where they are will mean a supply of wood-boring grubs and other bugs, great spotted woodpeckers' principal food source.
Problems
Great spotted woodpeckers will sometimes attack nestboxes containing eggs and chicks. You can help prevent this by fitting a metal hole surround, available from the RSPB Shop.
How you can help
Take part in Homes for Wildlife and we'll provide you with all the advice you'll need to attract birds and other wildlife to your garden.
Find out more