Many woodpeckers will feed on suet, the white fatty material found between the muscle of many meats, particularly beef. Suet is available free or at very low cost from most butchers. A suet feeder consists of a wire-mesh cage or plastic-mesh bag (e.g., an onion bag) that holds the material but allows easy access by the bird. This type of feeder can be nailed or tied to a tree trunk. It can also be suspended.
Suet can also be smeared into knotholes. Suet feeders attract a variety of woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, titmice, jays, and starlings. Suet cages that are open only at the bottom are starling-proof; they force birds to hang upside down while feeding, something starlings find difficult.
Be careful about hanging suet in bear country as it will attract bears and other wildlife.
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