Songbird EssentialsSERUBSF100H 11.3"x 2.5"x 7.5"Suet Feeder with Tail Prop

It’s well made. Very sturdy. We bought it because we saw the woodpeckers hanging upside down on the regular suet cages. What we have noticed since we got it? All the other birds use it. The woodpeckers are still doing gymnastics on the regular suet cages…

There are a variety of birds in the yard, and many types of woodpeckers, and all enjoy this new suet holder. While it took a few days for everyone to be comfortable with this new suet feeder, it is now very popular with all of the birds. We now see a larger variety of woodpeckers too!

They need to make the opening on the mesh smaller so squirrels and raccoons can't reach theit grubby little paws in and dig the suet out. I ended up cutting pieces of 1/4" mesh in the feeder, Now those buggers can't remove all the suet in a day or two. The birds are still able to reach the suet just fine.

Having lost several basic wire suet cages to raccoons and such (they have taken the whole thing away--suet, cage and all), this one has been a roaring success--hanging one foot under a clear baffle by a wire clothes hanger, with the bottom of feeder about six feet above the ground. But even better, we created two approximately five-inch long perches--one on the front and one on the back of the feeder--by driving a small 12 inch long wooden dowel through the wire mesh at the very center bottom of the cage--we are not only seeing lovely woodpeckers, but also nuthatches, chickadees, titmice, cardinals, bluebirds (this is Northern Ohio), wrens, and more, every day! Such a marvelous display during these late-Winter months. Very highly recommended, especially with the easily-added perch for many other birds, in addition to the woodpeckers!!

I had been feeding woodpeckers from a basic cage suet holder. I put it out in the winter, and have had regular visits from downy woodpeckers, nuthatches, and various other suet-loving birds. Since the feeder was so popular, I decided on this plastic feeder with the tail prop. I have a regular seed feeder on a pole in the backyard. My suet feeder is on the side of my house, hanging on a metal extention holder off the railing of a small deck off a first floor room. In the summer I feed hummingbirds from this holder, and in the winter I feed the birds that stay for the winter. The location is perfect since we use the room as our TV room, and get a great show, summer and winter.When I first put it out, it took a few days to attract visitors. I left the old wire suet holder out also so the birds would get the idea, and it worked. Not long after they were all over the new one. The recycled plastic is very durable, yet has the appearance of wood. An occasional visit from a pesky squirrel and raccoon only left a few hardly-noticable chew marks. They could not penetrate this plastic...it is very hard. I took the feeder in at night for a while to deter visits from the raccoon.One person asked about how protected the suet is from the weather. It is not that protected, but find this to be a non-issue since suet has such a waxy consistency, rain or snow does not really harm this type of food, and the birds are not bothered when it is a little wet.The larger woodpeckers, such as the red-headed woodpecker, and northern flicker have come occasionally, although they are even more shy than the other smaller woodpeckers, and we have to remain very still to enjoy their visits. I believe the tail prop has encouraged the larger varieties to visit more often since they can be supported with the tail prop rather than hanging loosely from the basic cage-type feeder. My 15-year-old son managed to get a picture of a northern flicker with his I-phone through the glass door. Would have loved to share the picture, but Amazon is only supporting videos, and the pic will not download.I highly recommend this feeder; it is durable, well made, and the birds love it.