Is the Woodpecker killing my tree?

I'd have thought it unlikely to kill it. If the bark is stripped off all the way around, like when you deliberately ring bark a tree, then it would kill it, but i don't think it is likely with a woodpecker. There's also the chance that disease may get in, but I wouldn't concern yourself with it, just enjoy the bird being there.

I mean, you're not going to come home one day and find a tall pile of saw dust in your garden.

righto FM

Great Spotted, Lesser Spotted or Green ?

Or 2 litre?

dont know, got a red bit on its head

All three species have red on their head ! I assume the other colours are black and white, as the Green Woodpecker would be obvious ?

black and white but I only got a glimpse, might be back later

This will help you identify it

http://www.bto.org/about-birds/bird-id/bto-bird-id-great-lesser-spotted-woodpeckers

Hang a feeder up with fatballs in, once confident they will feed regular and leave your tree alone.

They are attacking the bark to get beetles and lava in the wood. Fat balls ,peanuts in feeders, though welcome,are an addition not a diet alternative

This should help you identify it.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVXD8J8ILL8

The long winter nights must just fly by

Woodpeckers dont strip much bark,they just batter small holes in the tree where they hear grubs.99% of when i see them they are feeding on standing dead wood ie dead trees that have not yet fallen.
Your culprit is almost certainly a squirrel(s) who strip massive patches of bark off trees.It may come down to a choice of who lives ,the squirrel or the tree.

Yep - could very well be grey squirrels. They are a real pest.

' ......This bark stripping occurs between late April and the end of July. Very young trees or saplings (stem diameter less than 5 cm) are generally not attacked as they cannot support the weight of a squirrel, the main stem of older trees (40 years+) are usually safe as the bark is too thick for the squirrels to strip. The most vulnerable trees are sycamore, beech, oak, sweet chestnut, pine, larch and Norway spruce, aged between 10 and 40 years old; though almost any broadleaved species of tree can be attacked. Bark stripping is a problem in woodland where the squirrel numbers are greater than 5 squirrels per hectare. The risk of damage may be greatest where there are vulnerable trees next to mature woodland that produces a good seed crop, which in turn supports a high density of squirrels.

Some of the damaged trees will die, some will succumb to fungal infection. Where the fungus enters, the wood will become stained and may rot. In many cases, the stems will be deformed which reduces the value of the timber. If branches in the canopy are attacked, dieback may result and again the quality and quantity of timber produced is affected.......'

hector, have you tried catching a squirrel? I laid a trap but it wasn't impressed by my fat balls.

dontwin,your fat balls are probably useless (i imagine).Catching squirrels is a doddle when you know how .Bait a cage trap with walnuts and you wont be able to keep the squirrels out .Tip the captured squirrel into a strong fabric bag,wearing gloves locate squirrels head in the bag and with a blunt instrument send him into the next life.Cassarole for 4 hours or until tender ,adding potatoes and seasonal veg.

Using traps is all very well if you want to catch it and teach it how to play the ukelele, but the good old 12-bore is the best way.

Ps sqirrels are low fat,one of natures super foods.

I would doubt woodpeckers kill trees

they would be doing themselves out of a job

it would make no evolutionary sense

Grey Squirrels are native to N.America...do they kill trees there?

if not , I doubt they do it here, unless we have different trees

I very well could be a squirrel that has made a right mess of the trunk all over the tree, and I assumed it was the woodpecker as I caught a brief glimpse of it hammering the tree.
On reflection the way the bark is missing all over then its unlikely the woodpecker would have torn such an amount away.

That f uckin squirrel has been a right c unt for a while, it ripped a net of nuts and took the lot and buried them all round the garden....may very well be time to kill it

Squirrel fitted the woodpecker up.They are notorious for bark stripping and frame ups.

I FEEL SORRY FOR THE WOODPECKER ,I USED TO GET THE BLAME FOR EVERYTHING

Play safe - shoot it.

If you capture it, you have to kill it.Its an offence to re release them into the wild ! Crazy but true.

Whatever you think of grey squirrels,you have to admire them for their ingenuity and versatility.I just wish that they would eat what they take from my bird feeders rather than burying it.I've given up on supplying sunflower seeds as I've had sunflower plants coming up all over.