How to Get Rid of a Woodpecker Humanely

 

 

How to Get Rid of a Woodpecker Humanely

 

Are you hearing the rat-a-tat-tat sounds of a woodpecker drilling on your house or building?  Are woodpeckers leaving your trees or power poles looking like swiss cheese?

Woodpeckers drill to feed on insects, make holes for nests, to create food storage places (their own personal pantry), to claim new territory and, at certain times of the year, to attract a new partner.  Of course their drilling can do thousands of dollars of damage to your building which makes them a real pest. Trees, wooden structures and even stucco siding can be compromised by a woodpeckers drilling behavior.  While they don’t drill on metal chimneys or gutters to create nests or look for food, these surfaces often produce louder sounds for their ‘drumming’ which can be a desirable result if the woodpecker is claiming territory or doing the mating dance.  While they may not do a lot of damage in these areas, it will certainly be a major annoyance!

If you have woodpeckers around you may want to see what other pests might be in the area.  Since they love bees, ants and termites, you may have an infestation of one of these in your home or yard.  If so, call in a pest control company and get rid of their ‘free buffet’ to help create a less desirable place for the woodpeckers to hang out.  You can also create other food options and train the pest birds to find someplace other than your house to eat by setting up a feeder with suet near their current feeding area. Then after a day or two, move the feeder a few feet away and set it up there.  Then a few days later move it again, and so on until they are feeding well away from your home.

Woodpeckers are territorial so if you use a Woodpecker Effigy, you might be able to get your problem woodpecker to move to another area if it hasn’t been there too long and hasn’t nested there.

If woodpeckers are nesting on your home/building/power pole, then you want to first fill the holes and then cover them with Woodpecker Deterrent Paint and Stain Additive.  This is an environmentally safe, non-toxic additive that can be combined with paint, stain or clearcoat.  Paint it around the area where the woodpeckers were nesting or drilling and if they try to drill again they will be met with a bad taste in their mouth.  

Next you will want to combine different types of bird scare deterrents that work specifically against woodpeckers.  It is important to combine both audio and visual bird scare products together so you can create a real predator threat in the minds of the woodpeckers - a ‘fear zone’ that will drive the problem woodpeckers away from your structure.  Bird Scare Eye Balloons are big balloons with huge predator-like eyes that can be hung around the area the woodpecker is frequenting.  Bird Scare Flash Tape is mylar tape that twists and reflects sunlight throughout the day.  The flashes catch the birds off guard and make it seem like a predator is moving around the area.  You can order these visual bird deterrents in combination in a Woodpecker Deterrent Kit to make things easier. A new product is the Woodpecker tree ornament Decoy, this should be part of your product choices when trying to keep woodpeckers away.

Combine those visual products with a Gull Cat Bird Scare Repeller.  This realistic looking cat is in the ‘attack’ predator position and its tail moves in the slightest breeze, creating a more life like predator illusion.  Move it every day or two around the area where the woodpecker is hanging out to create the realistic impression that it is a real predator.  Then add in the Woodpecker Distress CD.  Position speakers around the height of the area the woodpecker is hanging out, but position them away from the area and hide the speakers if possible.  The CD has sounds of woodpeckers in distress and the cries of predators specific to woodpeckers.

One other product that can be very effective if there is a way to place it near the area where the woodpeckers are drilling is Bird Free Optical Bird Repellent Gel. This gel deterrent comes in low profile dishes that can be placed all around the problem area.  Because of the woodpecker’s ability to see in the ultraviolet light zone, the gel creates the illusion that the area is surrounded by flames. The gel is made from herbal oils that are non-toxic, and it is very resistant to extreme temperatures. The gel won’t run on vertical surfaces because of a thin film over it and it can be installed almost anywhere.  Combine it with the other scare deterrents and create a real ‘fear zone’ that will drive that woodpecker out of there!

If you have pest bird problems and are unsure which would be the best bird deterrent to use feel free to call us at 855-741-3222 or email us at mark@birdsgottago.com. We can assist you with determining the right product(s) to order and/or recommend an expert local installer if you or your maintenance team needs on site guidance.