I have a trio of woodpeckers that have been showing up quite often lately.

The smallest is by far the boldest – the Downy Woodpecker – who typically isn’t deterred in the least by my presence. This little fellow swooped in with a bit of an attitude the other day…

…and then started nipping at the Bark Butter.

This male Hairy Woodpecker also loves the Bark Butter, but he is more cautious and I have to be as still as possible so as not to startle him. He looks a whole lot like the Downy, but is bigger and beakier.

And last but not least, I’ve had a pair of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers showing up (you can see one lurking in the shadows in the previous picture!)…who also like the Bark Butter. Are you sensing a common food preference?

You can tell this beauty below is a female because she lacks the vibrant red throat patch and black bib found on her male counterpart.

And here is the male, who I think is absolutely gorgeous!

By the way – Bark Butter is a nutty suety spread I buy and have shipped to my house from Wild Birds Unlimited. It really is a favorite of my feathered friends, which means it’s a favorite of mine as well since it lures them in and entices them to pose for pictures.