[Mnbird] woodpeckers pecking question

[Sue Keator]

I have found that downys peck the hole guards on my chickadee houses in the
fall. I take the guards off and they move in for roosting in winter. In
Spring, they vacate again and I put the guards back on.
Sue on Melody Lake

On Thu, Oct 20, 2016 at 5:43 PM, Jim Fitzpatrick via Mnbird <
mnbird at lists.mnbird.net> wrote:

> My theory on Woodpeckers is this. Young of the year birds are quickly
> becoming self sufficient but do not know all oif the tricks the adults use
> to tell which wood to peck on, At this time of year insects are getting
> scarce and tough to find. Youngsters are pecking on everything they can
> find to see if there are insects inside. This includes siding and bird
> houses and eaves and chimneys and telephone poles and everything to find
> something to eat. If they find something under your siding, Oh boy, look
> out because they will not quit doing it no matter what you do.
>
> Jim Fitzpatrick
> Emeritus Executive Director
> Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center
>
>
> On Thu, Oct 20, 2016 at 4:26 PM, DONALD GRUSSING Owner via Mnbird <
> mnbird at lists.mnbird.net> wrote:
>
>> I have one that just made a new hole on a chickadee house just below the
>> metal guard that protected the 1 1/8 in hole. I don't know why they do it,
>> they just do. They have wrecked dozens of bird houses over the years.  I am
>> going to replace this one next spring with one of those houses made from
>> composites. That will be the end of that (I hope). As for now, the male
>> downy is happily going into the house every twilight for a good night's
>> sleep. It's kind of like the old Outhouse joke, it has more status because
>> it's a two-holer.
>>
>> Don Grusing
>> Minnetonka
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> *From: *"Betsy Kerr via Mnbird" <mnbird at lists.mnbird.net>
>> *To: *mnbird at lists.mnbird.net
>> *Sent: *Thursday, October 20, 2016 1:32:23 PM
>> *Subject: *[Mnbird] woodpeckers pecking question
>>
>> Woodpeckers are currently pecking large holes in my sister's cedar-sided
>> home in Pennsylvania, as they do every Spring and Fall.  At the same time,
>> a male Downy WP has been continually pecking every morning on the face of
>> one of our Bluebird houses (including on the metal hole guard).  A
>> female--I presume, his partner--has regularly roosted in the past in this
>> box, as well as in the other one in our yard. My question is, why do they
>> peck on a birdhouse like this in the Fall?
>>
>> Betsy Kerr
>> Golden Valley
>>
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