Conservation Column: Seeing Missouri's Woodpeckers

Those who know me know one thing above all else: It is hard to keep me away from the water. I always find an excuse to be in my canoe, and short of lightning and floods, very little keeps me from getting my toes wet — not rain, shallow streams, cold or wind.

Last month as I took a chilly float down the Castor River, I was reminded why I act so tenaciously. Every season, even the cold ones, brings so many natural surprises. As the leaves go on holiday and the forest becomes see-through, wonders which go undiscovered in the summer are revealed. Hidden blufflines with a quiet waterfall, abandoned buildings and machinery, and wildlife, with less cover to hide amongst, can’t help but be more obvious. Few animals mean winter to me more than our spritely woodpeckers.

Missouri is home to seven species of woodpecker: the minute yellow-bellied sapsucker and downy woodpecker, the robin-sized hairy and redheaded woodpeckers, and the largest three, the jay-sized red-bellied and northern flicker and nearly crow-sized pileated.

These noisy, year-round residents are some of the bird world’s most recognizable and beginner-friendly fliers to identify. With one exception, each of these birds offers a bold variation on black, white and red. The northern flicker alone sports a tawny gray body with only a hint of crimson.

Their boisterous voices range from squeaks and purrs all the way to diabolical, monkey-like laughter. Additionally, they all sport the rhythmic prowess of a rockstar drummer, using their potent beaks for drilling out food, hollowing nests and percussive communication. The smallest woodpeckers play a bongo, but the pileated kicks the bass drum!

Missouri’s woodpeckers represent some of the easiest winter birds to attract to feeders. Depending on habitat, all but the large pileated and tiny sapsucker are regular visitors to backyards. While sunflower seeds, wild bird mix and peanuts can all attract woodpeckers, suet is Woody’s filet mignon.

In colder winter months, woodpeckers and other birds relish the added calories that come with suet feeders. Suet feeders come in many varieties, but your local hardware department will likely carry a small green cage feeder built to hold a square suet brick at almost no cost. Placed well out of the reach of raccoons, you will be delighted to watch these gymnastic birds hang and sway as they gorge themselves on fat. What a life!

Beyond feeding, proper wild bird conservation relies on habitat management. For woodpeckers, leaving standing, dead timber where it is safe to do so and not clearing fallen logs are simple habitat modifications that benefit these birds. Many birds worldwide have seen population declines, and by taking an interest, viewing, and sharing your love, you, too, can be part of Missouri’s conservation story.

Grab some binoculars and spend the winter cozy in your home, marveling at this beautiful part of Missouri’s natural heritage.

For more information, visit the Cape Girardeau Nature Center and pick up “Missouri’s Woodpeckers,” a free guide.

Alex Holmes is the assistant manager for the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center. Alex has a passion for outdoor education and can be found fishing and floating Missouri’s beautiful streams and swamps when not at work.