Hummingbird feeders attract sapsuckers?

[southsoundtree]

Anybody hear or seen anything to give the impression that hummingbird feeders might attract sapsuckers to a site?

Customers planted 13 himilayan white birch that are getting hammered by sapsuckers. The husband asked what I thought to be a good question, can the feeders attract SSs?

I figured that they are not likely feeding from the feeders, as their bill shape probably is not going to work in the tight feeding cones that the HB is able to get into, since the SSs have to be able to break the bark (not having researched SSs' bill shape). However, the smell might have increased the likelihood the SSs finding this new patch of trees on a 4 acre parcel with woods, pasture, and the homesite/ landscaping. This butts up to more native-ish areas mixed with residential development. They have cottonwood, willow, shore pine, doug-fir, and a couple of maples on site. The maples have had a little SS damage.

Talk amongst your selves.--Coffee Talk with Linda Richman.

 

[GlennButler]

The brain's olfactory lobes, while small in birds, are well developed in fish, reptiles and mammals. This is evidence that birds generally have an inferior sense of smell. However, a few bird species are known to have a well-developed sense of smell, among them would be shearwaters and petrels.

But an inferior sense of smell in woodpeckers doesn't mean zero sense of smell, so I think your client's question is an open one.

from an abstract:

"In contrast to mammals, avian olfaction is poorly understood, with birds widely regarded as relying primarily on visual and auditory inputs."

"In summary, our findings suggest that olfaction in birds may be a more important sense than generally believed."

10.1098/rspb.2008.0607 Proc. R. Soc. B 22 October 2008 vol. 275 no. 1649 2309-2317

 

[easyphloem]

I would like to see a full blown double blind science study done before I can believe this.


SZ

 

[jmcscrap]

"I would like to see a full blown double blind science study done before I can believe this."

LMAO!

 

[keitht]

We get a few downy woodpeckers that feed from our hummingbird feeders from time to time. However, it doesn't "attract" them to our area. They are here already and just take advantage of the feeder.

I don't think the feeder has anything to do with the
sapsuckers coming in. If the feeders were attracting the sapsuckers, the sapsuckers would be on the feeders.

 

[southsoundtree]

Keitht,

It interesting that the woodpeckers are able to feed from them. I haven't looked at a hummingbird feeder after this question, but will. I've filled ours time to time.

I am not sure that the SSs are not feeding on the HB feeder.

I am going to have to consult my ornithologist friend about this when I talk to him next.

The homeowners are going to try some different things to deter the birds. I've usually seen SS damage on the main bole of the tree, and it is that way in this case.

They are going to hang tinfoil balls, colored flagging tape, and wrap the trees in hardware cloth/ wire mesh or burlap.

It'll be interesting to see if anything is more effective than the other.

 

[southsoundtree]

BTW Keitht, welcome to the Buzz, and your input.

Glenn, thanks for the info.

 

[keitht]

I do study birds but Raptors in particular.I know that Sapsuckers and hummingbirds share a feeding relationship where hummers depend upon Sapsuckers. The holes drilled by the sapsuckers are utilized by hummers before the normal plants used by the hummers are creating nectar. It may be that hummer ranges are effected by the sapsuckers ranges.

I would still say that feeders do not attract Sapsuckers.

 

[Jamin_Mayer]

[ QUOTE ]
"I would like to see a full blown double blind science study done before I can believe this."

LMAO!

[/ QUOTE ]

x2

Stephan is the clever one of this Buzz bunch.

 

[Jamin_Mayer]

Are you sure the Sapsuckers aren't looking for bronze birch borers in addition to the sap of the Birch? I mean, wouldn't it be great to get an appetizer with your drink?

What if the B.B.B.'s are initially attracted to the sweet smell of the hummingbird feeders first? Then, they narrow down to the Birch tree and do their boring business.

Therefore, the increase of Sapsucker damage would be because of the additional snacks for the bird...

Sorry. I'm just throwing that out there.

 

[keitht]

Have you ever heard the phrase: "you may be over-thinking this?"

 

[southsoundtree]

I haven't read anything yet about BBB in Western WA. It is a problem in Eastern WA, in the rain shadow of the Cascades, which would be more like your environment, Jamin.

I am going to continue to research this, and check with the local extension, and ask my wife to ask her entomologist co-workers.

 

[macrocarpa]

I asked a ornithologist about this, and she said from her experience, "no", humming bird feeders do not attract sap suckers.