Page 22 - FEB2020

gardening for birds - attracting woodpeckers

There are four woodpecker species in Botswana, namely
Bearded, Golden-tailed, Cardinal and Bennet’s, of which the

last is the least common. All are beautiful, active, fun birds to
have in one’s garden.

Generally, the Bearded Woodpecker drums loudly on dead wood, the Cardinal is
the smallest, the Golden-tailed makes a distinctive nasal call and Bennet’s spends
much time fossicking on the ground. They can be attracted by having indigenous
trees which host insect larvae and pupae, the staple diet of these species. Trees
like the African wattle (Peltophorum africanum), Combretums and Acacia species
attract a lot of insects to the garden.

To attract these birds, you should attach a nest-log as high as you can to one of
these trees. This nest log is normally made from sisal, so is a soft wood, and hope-
fully woodpeckers will be attracted to it, to peck a hole in it for their nest. The
sad news is that hornbills and barbets may beat woodpeckers to the draw. So, the
consolation prize is that you will host species other than woodpeckers. If at first
you don’t succeed, try, try and try again next season. Perhaps you could consider
putting a sign on the log, stating “Woodpeckers only”.

Written by Harold Hester; Photographs by Ian White (www.birdlifebotswana.org.bw)

Cardinal Woodpecker Golden-tailed Woodpecker
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