Hi Michele, That's a neat observation. I haven't seen Red-bellied Woodpeckers visiting hummingbird feeders in Ohio, but I've seen this happen in Louisiana. A close relative of this species, the Gila Woodpecker, is a very frequent visitor to hummer feeders in Arizona, clinging awkwardly and lapping up the sugar water. Another relative, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, comes to hummer feeders (and to oriole feeders, including sliced oranges) in southern Texas. It's my impression that this particular group (the barred-backed members of the genus Melanerpes) tend to be more adaptable or more varied in their diets than most woodpeckers. But a taste for sweet liquids may run in the family, if you consider that the sapsuckers are just woodpeckers specialized for drinking sap. Still, if all the local Red-bellieds get into the act, your mother-in-law may wind up going through even more than 100 pounds of sugar this year! Kenn Kaufman Rocky Ridge, Ohio ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]