Buzz
Woodpeckers use their sharp beaks to bore holes in trees, then extend their long, spiny tongues into these holes to search for insects and create cavities for nesting or sleeping at night. They also drum on trees to announce their territory and attract mates. If a woodpecker claims your house as its territory, it may cause damage to your property and annoy you with its constant drumming. Keep reading to learn how to keep woodpeckers away from your home and possessions.
Steps
Alter the Food Source for Woodpeckers
Inspect your home for insects. If woodpeckers keep drilling holes into your home, there’s likely a reason for it. Your house may harbor insects like bees, ants, or termites, which attract woodpeckers. The first step in deterring them is to eliminate the food source they’re targeting.
- Check the attic or any areas near where the woodpecker is pecking. Look for insect remains on windowsills or in corners. Search for bee nests on rafters. Inspect areas with rotting or splintering wood, both inside and outside your house. These are signs of an insect infestation.
- If you spot evidence of insect activity, take immediate action. Use natural methods to eliminate pests or hire a professional pest control service.
Hang a suet basket near the exterior of your home. Woodpeckers enjoy eating suet derived from beef kidneys, which can be found at pet stores or wild bird shops. Hang the suet basket high off the ground to prevent other animals from reaching it.
- Place the basket near areas where woodpeckers frequently peck. They’ll eat the suet and leave your home alone.
- Gradually move the basket further away from your home, shifting it a few inches each day until it's well away from your house. Ideally, you'll train the woodpeckers to eat the suet and stop pecking at your home.
- Beef suet will begin to smell bad during hot weather and can stick to the birds' feathers, damaging their plumage. Avoid using it on hot summer days.
- Offer suet regularly during the fall, winter, and spring months when food is scarce.
- Don’t use this method unless you’ve already dealt with the insect issue—otherwise, you’ll attract more woodpeckers to feed!
Plant fruit and berry trees. Woodpeckers are fond of sweet fruits, so consider planting fruit and berry trees around the perimeter of your yard to lure them away from your home. However, be mindful not to plant them too close to your house.
Use Woodpecker Repellent Products
Do your research before investing in woodpecker repellent products. Studies show that most of these products are ineffective. A simple and easy method to deter woodpeckers is to install netting around your house. Visible deterrents often don’t work because the birds will quickly realize there’s no real threat. They may initially be frightened, but they'll soon get used to the presence of these items.
Attach reflective tape near pecking spots. A highly effective method is to hang reflective tape (such as Irri-Tape™, Bird Blinder™, Brite Way™, etc.) near areas where the woodpecker is causing damage:
- You can also hang aluminum discs, old CDs, or shiny objects, but reflective tape works better. Cut strips of tape about 1-1.2 meters long, stick one end down and let the other flap in the wind. If the woodpecker is pecking at the window ledge, apply several strips with small gaps between them. Keep in mind that the tape will degrade over time, and it's only effective when the wind blows.
- A more eye-catching solution is to hang flags or decorative items near the problem area. Windmills or pinwheels that spin rapidly in the breeze can scare the birds away.
- Attempts to use sound-based products, such as recordings of distressed woodpecker calls or predator sounds, have been proven ineffective, at least for red-headed woodpeckers.
- Hang several wind chimes around your home. The sound of the chimes may intimidate the woodpeckers.
- If the woodpeckers are trying to nest on your home, hang an artificial nest near the area where they are pecking (or very close). Fill the nest with wood shavings in February and March to encourage the birds to dig. Only Hairy Woodpeckers, Lewis’s Woodpeckers, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers are known to use artificial nests.
Reinforcing the House
Repair the holes in the house to prevent attracting woodpeckers. When a woodpecker drills a hole in your house, it draws the attention of others. Insects can crawl through the hole and infest the house, worsening the problem.
- Use filler putty to seal the holes immediately after discovery.
- Once the filler is dry, apply polyurethane or oil-based paint to the patched area to prevent insects from taking shelter inside your house. Fewer insects mean fewer woodpeckers.
Protect the house to avoid further damage. Use thick fabric, plastic mesh, or bird-proof netting to cover the damaged area. This will stop woodpeckers from causing additional harm to that section.
Contact the local support office. The Migratory Bird Act protects woodpeckers (even though most of them are not migratory), but you can ask an expert to set traps and release them in a safer location.
Tips
- Combine all the methods mentioned above for the best results.
Warning
- Avoid using glue or chemicals with foul odors. These are ineffective, and when they catch bird feathers, bird droppings, or other debris, they become very difficult to clean.
- Do not shoot, trap, or harm woodpeckers. Do not destroy their nests. Federal law protects this bird species.
Items you will need
- Aluminum plates, reflective tape, or shiny tape
- Vent pipes or windmills
- Wind chimes
- Grease containers and grease
- Artificial nests for woodpeckers
- Thick fabric, plastic netting, or bird control mesh
