Effective Ways to Deter Woodpeckers

Few things can disrupt the peace of a warm spring morning like the sound of a woodpecker drilling into your home. Woodpeckers can cause extensive damage, potentially costing thousands of dollars if they create nests on the exterior of your house. In this article, we’ll guide you through effective methods to deter woodpeckers, ensuring they stay away from your property without causing harm to them.

Check out this video to learn more about woodpecker damage, repair, and prevention:

Signs of Woodpecker Damage
Woodpeckers are known for their distinct pecking behavior, which they perform to find food, create shelter, or communicate with other birds. Their sharp, hard beaks allow them to drill into wood to extract insects or make nesting holes. They also drum on hard surfaces as a form of communication, often to mark territory or attract mates.

While this behavior is fascinating, it can also make woodpeckers a nuisance. Their continuous drumming can damage various surfaces, including trees, wooden structures, and even stucco siding. The damage they cause typically appears as small, deep holes arranged in horizontal or vertical lines, or as larger nesting cavities. The noise and frequency of the holes usually indicate that the damage is from woodpeckers rather than insects.

Though woodpeckers don’t tend to find food or shelter in metal chimneys or gutters, they may still drum on these surfaces, producing loud sounds to mark territory. While this doesn’t cause much lasting damage, it can quickly become a nuisance.

Quick Tip
Remember, the goal is not to harm woodpeckers. These birds play a significant role in the ecosystem and are protected by the Migratory Bird Act of 1918 in the United States. Rather than eliminating them, focus on redirecting their attention away from your home and landscaping.

Effective Ways to Deter Woodpeckers

1. Remove or Change the Food Source

Insects, such as bees, ants, and termites, are the primary food sources for woodpeckers. If your home or yard has an infestation, it may appear like an all-you-can-eat buffet to these birds. Look for signs of insect infestations, such as hives, rotting wood, or dead insects. If you find evidence of pests, treat the area or hire an exterminator to remove them.

If removing the food source doesn’t solve the problem, try offering the woodpeckers an alternative food supply. Set up a bird feeder with suet, which woodpeckers enjoy, especially during late fall, winter, and early spring when other food sources are scarce. After a few days, gradually move the feeder further away from your home. Eventually, the woodpeckers will be trained to feed elsewhere, and you can remove the feeder in the summer.

Additionally, you can plant fruit trees or bushes around the perimeter of your yard, away from your home. These can help divert the birds’ attention and provide them with a natural food source.

1. Frighten the Woodpeckers Away

To keep woodpeckers from targeting your home, consider using deterrents that reflect light, move, or make noise. Pinwheels, old CDs, or wind chimes are popular options. Some people also use decoy owls to make it seem like there’s a predator nearby. However, these methods are often only effective for a short time as the woodpeckers quickly realize there’s no real threat.

Reflective “scare” tape tends to be more effective than other deterrents. Hang long strips of this tape in front of the areas where woodpeckers have been causing damage. The shiny surface will irritate their eyes and help keep them away. Keep in mind that the tape can wear out or detach over time and may not work if there’s no wind to make it flutter. Avoid using sticky substances or gels, as they can harm the birds’ feathers.

1. Prevent Woodpeckers from Returning

For a more permanent solution, bird netting is highly recommended by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the most reliable way to keep woodpeckers away. Install a net with a mesh size of 1 inch or smaller, keeping it at least 3 inches away from the surface you want to protect. This will physically block the woodpecker from reaching the area.

You can also use burlap sacks or netting to protect trees. While these methods may require more time to set up, they tend to be less noticeable than reflective tape. Be sure to check the netting regularly for damage, as even small holes can render it ineffective.

Finally, another preventative measure is to hire a pest control service to eliminate any insects that may be attracting woodpeckers. It’s a good idea to get quotes from multiple companies to find the best one for your needs.

By following these steps, you can effectively deter woodpeckers from causing damage to your home and keep them safely away from your property.