Successful Deterrents for Woodpeckers

Woodpecker damage could cause irreparable damage to any wooden structure. Woodpeckers will eat wood beams, siding and posts while searching for food. The birds may decide that your bedroom wall is the best place to "drumming," an annoying social behavior that can cause little to no damage but can be quite disruptive if you're trying to sleep.

You can also be harmed if they choose to nest in your structure over a nearby tree. Proper bird solutions for woodpeckers include convincing them to leave your property and not harming them. Woodpeckers can damage stucco, Dryvit and other modern building materials. They can also cause damage to the electrical and plumbing lines within the wall and may allow moisture to enter the structure.

The woodpeckers can also injure or damage ornamental and shading trees. While woodpeckers can be controlled by native trees, non-native trees may be more susceptible to their behavior.

How do you keep woodpeckers from damaging your home and building? Here are these nine strategies:

1. Install netting

Use fine mesh netting, such as StealthNet over your siding to deter woodpeckers. This is the most effective and lasting way to do so. While bird netting is a great solution for commercial buildings and large buildings, it can be less appealing for homeowners.

The nets can be placed only in the areas that woodpeckers are focusing on. You can hang nets from the roof. You can leave the hooks up all year but only put the net up when there is a chance of woodpeckers.

2. Hang Aluminum Flashing

Woodpeckers aren't fond of shiny objects. To discourage them from returning, cover their holes with aluminum flashing as soon possible. It won't stop them drumming (although some woodpeckers like to play on metal), but it will reduce their foraging behavior. A couple of razor mirrors pointed outwards can also scare them.

3. Balloons with Eyes

A balloon that has large eyes will look like an owl. Because owls eat woodpeckers and this type of product can be used to attract them, woodpeckers may choose to live elsewhere. Place the balloon in the vicinity of the woodpecker's nest. Please note that owl-effigies don't work well against woodpeckers. However, they can discourage small birds. It is important to regularly move an owl effigy if you use it. Woodpeckers are intelligent enough to see that a stationary bird may not actually be an owl. Better results are achieved with mobiles in the form of hawks that can be hung from the roof.

4. Make sure to use optical gel

Optical gel can be used as a multisensory general repellent. Although it smells unpleasant to birds, optical gel is not pleasant to humans. It appears sticky and looks like smoke. The optical gel can be placed in areas where woodpeckers are suffering from damage to encourage them to flee. It can also be used to repel other species. This deterrent is very effective and does not cause harm to the bird.

5. Distress tapes

You must manually turn them on and off, so they are not useful for very minor situations. The tapes create woodpecker distress sounds, which usually scare woodpeckers into fleeing. Similar devices are available that can detect the sound of a Woodpecker drilling or drumming, and either use sound or a moving object as a scare tactic.

You can also make tapes of predator sounds or other loud noises. It is best to use noisemakers when birds are not well established.

6. Eliminate Their Food Source

A woodpecker is looking for insects in your building when it drills into it. For small commercial buildings, this can pose a greater problem. They'll give up quickly if they don’t find any. You must ensure there are no gaps between your siding and any flat-grained boards, and that your lap siding is tightly nailed. You can use appropriate pest control methods if necessary.

The woodpeckers then will go to another place to find pests. Tin can be used to replace shingle or wood shake roofs. Metal roofs can be used to protect your home from fire, keep out insects, and provide protection against woodpeckers.

7. A Better Nesting Site

You might find it counter-intuitive, but you really want the woodpeckers gone. You might consider installing a nest box near your building if the woodpeckers are roosting and nesting in your structure. This can be used in combination with other methods that discourage foraging. However, if you have enough trees nearby to stop the woodpeckers from nesting in your house and causing them damage, this will work well. Woodpeckers are territorial so they will chase other woodpeckers away from your building.

8. Water is the best!

Woodpeckers do not like being wet unexpectedly. A well-placed sprinkler system and a garden hose are effective ways to deter woodpeckers. Many times, the woodpecker won’t return to their nest after one spray. They won't be hurt, but it will make them consider returning.

9. Paint instead of stain

You can paint siding instead of staining it if you have a woodpecker problem. Lighter colors are better for woodpeckers. Painting can reduce the number of insects that live in small spaces. One study revealed that 79% had woodpecker damage in stained houses, while 29% of painted homes showed the same problem.

do not need to use noxious chemical on the wood in an attempt to discourage woodpeckers. This is a waste of time as woodpeckers won't eat or taste the wood. They don't eat the wood; they eat the insects within it. Their beak is the only thing that touches the surface if they're drumming. You can also put anything you want on them, and they won't be able to smell it. It has been shown to be a complete waste and has been tested.

A deterrent is the best way to stop woodpeckers from getting established. Woodpeckers cannot be hurt or killed, particularly endangered species. They must be dealt with using non-lethal means. It is relatively simple to convince woodpeckers that they should go to another location. For more information, please contact us.

 

 

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