How to Stop Wood Peckers From Pecking on the House
Woodpeckers are magnificent creatures to view in their natural environment, until they start wreaking havoc on your home by pecking the wood siding covering your house. Woodpeckers commonly peck homes to mark territory or find insects. Stopping the birds from destroying your home by killing them is not allowed as woodpeckers are considered valuable birds in the ecosystem and are protected by state and federal laws, according to James Harding of the Michigan State University Museum. Frightening or scaring the woodpeckers away from your home is key in stopping the birds from pecking on your house. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Aluminum flashing
- Plastic owls
- Plastic snakes
- Wind chimes
- Water hose spray gun
Instructions
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Apply aluminum flashing to the areas where the woodpecker is pecking. Aluminum flashing is shiny and will frighten the woodpecker from returning and pecking at that particular spot on your house. Expand the material across your home if the woodpecker begins pecking on a different area of your house.
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Place natural repellents, like plastic owls, plastic snakes and wind chimes, on top of your house and in all trees near your home to frighten the woodpeckers away from your property. Change or move the decoys on a regular basis to prevent the woodpeckers from becoming accustomed to or unaffected by the decoys.
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Put a spray gun on your water hose and spray the woodpecker as soon as you hear it pecking on your house. Repeat as many times as necessary until the woodpecker fully understands or acknowledges that it will be sprayed if it lands on your home.
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Tips & Warnings
If money is not a concern, replace your home's wood siding with vinyl or aluminum siding, as woodpeckers do not like pecking on homes that are covered with vinyl or aluminum siding.
When spraying the woodpecker with the water hose use caution, as you could possibly be fined or even imprisoned for accidentally killing the federally protected bird.
References
- Photo Credit downy woodpecker, (picoides pubescens) image by Bruce MacQueen from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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merryreader
Nov 13, 2010
I have a natural solution. Just spray the area where the woodpecker has been pecking with a solution of vinegar and water. Works for me. You may have to repeat after a rain or long period of time.
