Red-bellied Woodpeckers have one of the broadest diets of any woodpecker — suet, peanuts, sunflower chips, nuts, and fruit are all eagerly consumed. They love berries and dried fruit more than most woodpeckers, making fruit-enhanced suets an excellent secondary offering. They're bold, vocal, and quickly become dominant visitors at suet and peanut stations.

Suet cages and peanut feeders are the foundation, but Red-bellied Woodpeckers will also visit hopper feeders for sunflower and nut blends. Mount suet at mid-height on a tree with a tail-prop platform. Their fondness for fruit means berry and nut suet is a great way to differentiate your feeding station. They're large enough to need sturdy feeder hardware.

Red-bellied Woodpeckers need mature hardwood trees — oaks, hickories, and maples are preferred — with dead snags for nesting cavities. They're more adaptable to suburban habitat than many woodpeckers and will thrive in neighbourhoods with large street trees and park-like yards. Berry and fruit-producing trees add extra appeal given their frugivorous tendencies. A nest box with a 6.5cm (2½-inch) entrance hole on a mature tree provides a nesting option where natural cavities are scarce.

Start with the right food, keep feeding consistent, and create a space birds feel safe returning to again and again.

Small changes in food, feeder choice, and consistency can make a big difference.