Always a Mystery

One species I rarely see at my suet feeders is the Hairy Woodpecker. This bird has a striking resemblance to the very common Downy Woodpecker and can only be positively identified (in my opinion) in two ways: seeing the length of the bill (it's as long as the width of the bird's head) or by contrasting it with a known yardstick. This photo (one of only nine I have taken with BirdCam since 2007) shows both measures. We can clearly measure the bill, and I know from experience that a bird like this who can stretch the full height of this suet basket is no Downy. That mystery of identification solved, the bigger one is what brings them to my suet baskets when they care to visit? Do they enjoy humans' offerings less? do they have more success meeting all of their needs in the wild? All I know for certain is that Hairys have larger territories than, say, Downys and are much less often seen by even careful observers. Only the Hairy knows what moves them.