Expert: Roger Lederer - 2/1/2011

Question
I'm trying to attract red-headed woodpeckers to my backyard in northern Ohio.  I've seen the more common red-bellied woodpeckers in my yard as well as a Norther Flicker, but never a red-headed one. I have suet feeders as well as a sunflower seed feeder. I recently added a third suet cage filled with cherries, and I'm considering a woodpecker house for nesting in late spring.  We have several large trees in our back yard, but no dead ones.  Two questions:

1. I realize that the red heads are relatively rare, especially in this habitat, but what else can I do to attract any that are around?

2. How do birds locate food like sunflowers or cherries?  By sight?  By smell?  Should I squeeze some cherries onto the feeder to enhance the aroma?

Thanks for your input.

Answer
Rather than giving you a lot of details, you can go to http://www.bird-house-bath.com/wp/species/attracting-red-headed-woodpeckers/  and http://audubon2.org/watchlist/viewSpecies.jsp?id=176 for some good information on attracting Red-headed Woodpeckers. A nest box might help. Virtually all birds find their food by sight, not by smell, so enhancing the aroma won't help.
It breeds in deciduous woodlands, especially beech or oak, river bottoms, open woods, groves of dead and dying trees, orchards, parks, open country with scattered trees, forest edges, and open wooded swamps with dead trees and stumps. Attracted to burns and recent clearings.
Winters in mature stands of forest, especially those with oaks.
I don't know what your backyard or neighborhood habitat looks like, but the more trees you have the better. Food alone might not be enough.
Hope this is helpful.