How to Get Rid of a Woodpecker

To me, the only thing funny about woodpeckers is watching them in cartoons. When woodpeckers choose our homes as drilling sites, all humor is lost to noise and nuisance. They drill for a variety of reasons: to attract mates, to forage insects, or to create storage and nests. Generally, they drill on homes made of wood or with wood siding, especially of redwood or cedar. Typically, holes in homes or buildings are caused by only one or two woodpeckers. Once a woodpecker ‘claims’ your home as its territory, getting rid of it can be very difficult. While we may find their behavior a nuisance, woodpeckers make many beneficial contributions to nature. Since woodpeckers are non-game birds protected by law, keep in mind that your goal is to move them, not destroy them. Most damage from woodpeckers is too extensive to repair with just a patch. Many times, homeowners neglect repairing woodpeckers’ damage and another creature takes up residence in holes drilled by the woodpecker. Replacing the damaged portions is really the only way to prevent wood rot, deterioration and infestation.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Squirt Gun
• Aluminum Foil or Pie Pans
• Reflective Tape
• Plastic Netting or metal mesh
• Staple Gun or hammer & nails
• Colorful Kite

1. place strips of reflective tape or aluminum foil on the guttering

2. scare the woodpeckers by hanging a colorful wind sock, ‘scare eye’ balloon, or aluminum pie pans near the area they are drilling

3. purchase a model owl or hawk and place near the area of concern

4. hang plastic, metal or nylon mesh sheets over the drilling area

Tips & Warnings

• Have your house checked for pests (ex. termites, hornets and bees), which attract woodpeckers. Woodpeckers also eat fruits, berries and nuts. If you have a fruit bearing tree in your yard, make sure it is trimmed away from the house. In the past, I have tried banging on the inside of the wall opposite where the woodpeckers drill without much luck.
• It’s important to note that there are over 200 species of woodpeckers in North America, and all are protected by federal law. Shooting or harming them is forbidden, and trapping is discouraged and usually not successful. Try outsmarting your woodpecker, and you’ll be the one doing all the laughing!

[AmyRose]

on 8/26/2009 Good article on many ways to try getting rid of woodpeckers. I did see 'squirt gun' in the list of items needed, though, and didn't see it commented on in the article body, although my imagination can fill in the blanks pretty easily for that one!

[acole]

on 6/2/2008 Interesting. Thanks!

[rei123]

on 11/17/2007 I had woodpeckers drilling on my gutters. I bought a large tub of petroleum jelly and applied it with a rag taped to a long pole. You can't see the jelly and the woodpeckers have not come back.

[flyter]

on 11/13/2007 I tried all of the normal woodpecker repellents, aluminum strips, owls, music playing all the time, repellents sprayed on the wood. Nothing worked permanently until I tried fine black plastic netting on a 3/4" or 1/2" grid. It so fine that it can barely be seen from 10 ft away. Knock on wood, it has worked for many months now.