Woodpecker Deterrents

by Alex A. Kecskes

Your average woodpecker is 7 to 15 inches long, with short legs, sharp-clawed toes and stiff tails. These birds feed primarily feed on wood-boring insects like spiders and caterpillars.  Unless woodpecker deterrents are used, your home, garage, patio and other structures will be prime targets for attack.

While they’re considered migratory, many woodpeckers stay in the states in which they are found. Woodpeckers usually arrive in the spring, when pairs are on the lookout for nesting cavities. They will attack your favorite trees, leaving unsightly holes and possibly injuring the trees by leaving them vulnerable to damaging insects

Woodpeckers are responsible for considerable property damage to thousands of homes across the country. When they are in their feeding mode, they forage for food by drilling holes in wood and synthetic stucco siding and eaves. Bees and other insects use the grooves in board-and-batten siding to lay eggs, which will attract these birds.

If your home has wooden shingles, cedar or redwood siding, your property is vulnerable to damage. By the way, woodpeckers will also attack your rain gutters (both metal and plastic gutters are prime targets). They’re not shy about attacking your chimney caps and TV antennas (these things make a lot of noise, which is what they like). Woodpeckers prefer to “drum” in the early morning and late afternoon.

So how can you get rid of these annoying birds? The temptation is to use noisemakers, avicides, BB guns and other means to deter or eliminate woodpeckers from your home and property. But these means can be problematic and ineffective. For one thing, woodpeckers are classified as migratory non-game birds and are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It stipulates, “before any person may take, possess, or transport any migratory bird or its parts, including feathers, eggs, and nest, they must secure a permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The good news is that there are many effective and humane woodpecker deterrents you can use to keep woodpeckers from damaging your property.

A good place to start is the visual deterrent. These come in various shapes and sizes to frighten birds and discourage them from building nests. Perhaps the least expensive deterrents are bird scare banners and balloons. Banners can easily be hung anywhere and will crinkle in the breeze and reflect sunlight to make birds feel uncomfortable.  You can also affix large shiny balloons to various areas of you home and garden.  These bob and weave in the breeze, and they feature a large predator eye that convinces most birds they are being “sized up” for a meal. Keep in mind that most birds are smart, so it’s best to move these visual woodpecker deterrents often so birds don't get accustomed to them.

Another very effective woodpecker deterrent is lightweight plastic bird netting. Here, you’re physically excluding birds from certain areas of your home and property. You can get plastic bird netting in several mesh sizes to block out various size birds. For most woodpeckers, you’ll need a 3/4-inch mesh size. Today’s bird netting even comes in various colors to match your home's exterior.  Netting is most effective when installed in overhanging eaves, and other places that provide semi-shelter for birds. Be sure to secure the netting tightly to prevent birds from working their way around the netting.

One manufacturer offers a bird netting kit. It includes bird net hardware and perimeter cable—ideal for hanging the net and keeping it taut so that no gaps remain for birds to enter. Each netting kit also includes cable crimps, turnbuckles, intermediate attachments, hog rings, and accessories—everything you need to properly hang the netting.

The secret to keeping woodpeckers away from your home and property is to think ahead and install woodpecker deterrents before the birds show up.

by Alex A. Kecskes

You take great pride in the appearance of your home. You paint it, replace or repair the siding, and maintain the shutters. After all that work and expense, you don’t need woodpeckers defacing your home with holes and unsightly marks. But it can happen--if you don’t implement effective woodpecker deterrents.

As many homeowners have painfully learned, woodpeckers can drill holes into wood siding, window frames, eaves, trim and fascia boards. They often hammer cedar and redwood siding until it looks like the surface of the moon. If you have a façade or decorative fir, pine or cypress, they’ll attack that too. Regrettably, woodpeckers prefer new construction and rustic, channeled plywood with cedar or redwood veneers. Many a homeowner has been saddened to discover the tell-tale narrow horizontal line of holes on the side of their home as woodpeckers forage for insects. These birds will even go after the plastic parts in your rooftop solar panels. Without effective woodpecker controls, your home is at the mercy of these pests.

As if damage to your home wasn’t enough, woodpeckers can drive you crazy with their incessant drumming--especially in the springtime. They seem to love to bang away at the hollow areas where their drumming makes the most noise. That includes your metal rain gutters, downspouts, chimney caps, TV dish antennas, rooftop plumbing vents, and metal roof valleys. Ask any homeowner with a woodpecker problem: these birds will drum all day long, week after maddening week.

It’s enough to make you want to whip out the BB gun or even bird poisons. Unfortunately for you and fortunately for them, woodpeckers are migratory, non-game birds that are fully protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In fact, the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) and the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) are both listed as Endangered Species and cannot be touched without incurring the penalty of law.

Fortunately for you, there are a number of effective and humane woodpecker control measures you can use to solve most woodpecker problems.

One widely used woodpecker deterrent is lightweight plastic bird netting. This method works because you’re physically excluding pest birds from specific areas.  Birds simply can’t get at your property. Plastic bird netting typically comes in several mesh sizes to block out various size birds. For most woodpeckers, you’ll need a 3/4-inch mesh size. If you’re concerned about the appearance of bird netting, high quality netting is now available in various colors to match your home's exterior.

When installing the netting, be sure to leave a 3-inch space between the netting and the area to be protected. You don’t want the birds to drum their beaks through the mesh. You can also install bird netting to the overhanging eaves, then swing back to your exposed siding. For best results, secure the netting tightly to prevent birds from getting behind it.

To streamline the installation of bird netting, one manufacturer offers a bird netting kit. These kits include bird net hardware to help match any job. Things like perimeter cable, which can be set up around the area to be netted off to ensure that there are no gaps for birds to enter, and that the netting stays taut. The kits may also include netting hardware--items like cable crimps, turnbuckles, intermediate attachments, hog rings, and accessories and tools to ensure a correct and lasting installation.

It’s sometimes best to add additional deterrents to your home (in addition to netting). Combined, two woodpecker control approaches create an effective solution to the woodpecker problem. For example, consider installing some visual deterrents like banners that crinkle in the breeze and reflect sunlight. Or balloons emblazoned with large predator eyes to intimidate pest birds. For best effect, visual woodpecker deterrents should be moved around often so birds don't get used to them.

Above all, it’s important to be proactive and install these woodpecker controls and deterrents before the birds arrive.  Once these birds have “set up shop,” it’s pretty hard to get rid of them.

by Alex A. Kecskes

Woodpeckers will be coming to your home soon—most usually arrive in the spring.
They’ll be in their feeding mode, foraging for food, drilling holes in your beautiful wood and synthetic stucco siding and eaves. They’ll be pecking and drilling in the grooves in board-and-batten siding, digging out insects and trying to attract mates with their incessant pecking. Your home will be at their mercy. If you don’t protect it with woodpecker deterrents, you can say hello to big unsightly holes.

After a while, your wooden shingles, cedar or redwood siding will look like Swiss cheese.
Woodpeckers will also attack your metal or plastic gutters, your chimney caps and TV antennas. The noise they make will drive you crazy--especially in the early morning hours. They’ll also attack your favorite trees, damaging the bark and leaving gaping holes, which can leave your trees vulnerable to predatory insects.

The solution? Forget noisemakers, avicides, BB guns and the like. They’re just temporary measures that can threaten kids, pets and neighbors. Besides, woodpeckers are classified as migratory non-game birds and are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It warns that, “Before any person may take, possess, or transport any migratory bird or its parts, including feathers, eggs, and nest, they must secure a permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

All is not lost. There are many effective and humane woodpecker deterrents you can use to protect your property from damage.

For starters, you can invest in a Wood Pecker Deterrent Kit. These offer a low cost solution to most pest bird problems. They include one Bird Repeller Balloon, a 50-foot roll of Flash Tape, and all the hardware you’ll need to hang these deterrents. The deterrents are extremely easy to install, highly effective and very humane.

The Flash Tape Banners can be hung anywhere and will crinkle in the breeze and reflect sunlight to make birds feel too nervous to stick around. Bird Repeller Balloons are big and shiny with a large eye. When these balloons bob and weave in the breeze, woodpeckers will get the feeling they’re being watched by a huge predator. For best results, it’s recommended that you move these visual deterrents around from time to time to keep the birds “on their toes.”

Woodpecker Kits should be used wherever woodpeckers have become a nuisance. You should install the deterrents on the side of your home, under eaves, and in your backyard or front yard to protect your trees. Installation is a snap. Simply install the brackets included in the kit using ordinary screws. Make sure that the brackets are at least 3 feet apart to cover the area where woodpeckers are attacking. Hang the flash tape from the two smaller brackets by tying a knot around the bracket. Cut the flash tape in 3-foot lengths or longer. When installing the Balloon, inflate it, apply the decals, and hang it from the larger bracket.

Another effective woodpecker deterrent is lightweight plastic bird netting. This easy to handle netting works by creating a barrier that physically excludes woodpeckers from specific areas of your home and property. Plastic bird netting comes in several mesh sizes. The most commonly used netting for woodpeckers is a 3/4-inch mesh size. You can also get bird netting in various colors to match your home's exterior. The best place to install bird netting is in overhanging eaves or any other area that offers shelter for birds. When installing the netting, make sure that you secure it tightly to prevent woodpeckers from squeezing their way around the netting’s perimeter.

The secret to keeping woodpeckers away from your home and property is to plan ahead and install woodpecker deterrents early--before the birds show up. Once they decide to make your house their home, it’s a real challenge to get rid of them.

by Alex A. Kecskes

Woodpeckers on homes can give homeowners an awful lot of grief. They will tap-tap night and day on aluminum siding and wood, and leave nasty little holes in fascia or trim boards, on wood beams, even stucco or brick. They'll puncture metal gutters, downspouts, chimney tops and roof vents. They can quickly disfigure board-and batten or tongue-and-groove siding, especially at the seams, leaving gaping, baseball size holes. Instinct makes them do it. The birds are simply looking for insects, nesting cavities, or ways to communicate with other woodpeckers.

There are 22 species of woodpeckers in North America, the most common being the Downey Woodpecker. Also quite ubiquitous are the Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker. The birds are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so you can put away your BB gun, poisons or other lethal traps. Any bird control measure used to deter woodpeckers on homes must be non-lethal and humane.  Fortunately, there are a number of humane and highly effective bird deterrents you can use to discourage woodpeckers from your home.

Sonic Bird Deterrents

Certain sounds can keep woodpeckers from homes. Sounds emitted by Sonic Bird Deterrents. These devices create alarming distress and predator calls that make woodpeckers nervous enough to leave. One bird control manufacturer teamed up with ornithologists at a major university to develop just the right sounds to deter pest birds. They came up with a device that broadcasts distress and/or predator calls of 22 different species of birds. And, yes, the device can be programmed to emit hawk sounds, a woodpecker's natural enemy. If yours is a large property with several buildings, not to worry, some sonic bird deterrents will cover up to an acre. You can even attach extra speakers to expand the coverage up to six acres.

Bird Scare Devices

The problem of woodpeckers on homes can be solved by using a little bird psychology, which can be quite effective if done properly. The Bird Scare Device is an ideal way to bird proof a number of areas from woodpeckers. Among the many such devices are Flash Tape and Reflective Banners, which are made of iridescent material that crinkles and reflects sunlight. The audio-visual distractions they create alarms most species of woodpeckers. 

Bird Scare Balloons work on the same basic principle with the added deterrent of large reflective predator eyes that makes woodpeckers feel threatened. Most Bird Scare Balloons are approximately16” diameter when fully inflated, and the best balloons are made of a U.V.- and weather-resistant vinyl. Finally, there's the Bird Scare Diverter, a pendant-like banner covered with a large mock eye to give woodpeckers the creeps.

These devices are easy to install and use, and they work best when hung as close as possible to the area plagued by woodpeckers. They should also be moved around and swapped out occasionally to prevent woodpeckers from getting used to them.

Bird Netting

An ideal exclusionary method for eliminating woodpeckers on homes, Bird Netting denies these birds direct access to specific areas of a dwelling.  Today's bird netting comes in a variety of types, cuts, mesh sizes and colors, so there's lots of flexibility here. For woodpeckers, 3/4-inch mesh size is probably best. It also doesn't hurt to go with U.V. stabilized, flame resistant and rot- and water-proof netting. Consider non-conductive netting for installations where electrical conductivity or radio frequency interference could cause problems. The best bird proof netting meets ISO 1806 protocols.

Installation is fairly straightforward. Simply stretch the bird netting from the eaves to a lower point on your home. Remember to leave at least three inches of space between the netting and damaged surface so that the birds can't peck through the mesh. If you choose a netting color that blends with your home's exterior, the netting will be barely visible from a distance of a few yards. Netting can be attached using tape, staples, or hooks on the eaves and the side of your home. Using hooks lets you easily take down the netting to replace light bulbs or paint. If you use staples, make sure they are rust-resistant to avoid unsightly rust stains on the building.

Remove Their Food Source 

In conjunction with these deterrents, it would be wise to remove a woodpecker's food sources. Insects burrowed in the home keep woodpeckers on homes. You should perform an inspection around the exterior of your home every other month or so to be on the lookout for certain insects woodpeckers like to feast on. These include the following:

Leafcutter bees--these insects love to nest in the gaps of your horizontal wood siding. They also like cedar shake roofs with their vertical cracks. Woodpeckers often make small horizontal or vertical rows of holes as they search for these little bugs.

Female carpenter bees--these insects drill small round holes about the size of a dime into many different types of wood, including siding and roofing. If these bees have burrowed a three-foot long tunnel, a woodpecker will drill your siding for the full length of the tunnel.

Bagworm larvae--these resemble tiny caterpillars attached to tree trunks, wood fencing, or siding. Woodpeckers will go after these larvae and do damage in the process.

Getting rid of these insects can make your property less inviting to woodpeckers. Combined with the bird proofing methods outlined above, they can keep your home from the damage and noise woodpeckers can create. Being proactive is the key, for once these birds start nesting and roosting on your home, it can be tough to remove them.

by Alex A. Kecskes

Woodpeckers often do a lot of damage to vacant summer or vacation homes. Regrettably, it's not until your siding resembles Swiss cheese that you finally realize you have a woodpecker problem.

The birds will drill holes into wood siding, window frames, eaves, trim and fascia boards. Woodpeckers generally like to hammer cedar and redwood siding. They'll also attack fir, pine, and cypress in a pinch. And they'll choose natural wood surfaces over painted wood. They seem to zero in on new construction and rustic, channeled plywood with cedar or redwood veneers. The birds will create holes in a narrow horizontal line looking for insects. If you have plastic parts in your rooftop water-heating solar panels or electrical solar panels, woodpeckers can cause you plenty of grief.

Then there's all the drumming these annoying birds do. Woodpeckers seem to enjoy drumming in the springtime and choose wood and other areas where their drumming makes the loudest most resonant sounds. Areas like metal rain gutters, downspouts, chimney caps, TV dish antennas, rooftop plumbing vents, and metal roof valleys are common targets. The birds will drum intermittently all day long—for weeks, even months at a time.

If they drove you nuts last year, you may be tempted to shoot them or poison them, but be warned: Woodpeckers are migratory, non-game birds that are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In particular, the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) and the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) are on the Endangered Species list and cannot be touched under penalty of law.

All is not lost, however. For there are effective, humane woodpecker repellants you can use to keep these annoying birds at bay.

One of the most effective methods of excluding woodpeckers from damaging wood siding under your eaves is to place lightweight plastic bird netting over the area. Plastic bird netting comes in a variety of mesh sizes and a 3/4-inch mesh is ideal for most woodpeckers. Leave a 3-inch space between the netting and the damaged building so that birds cannot drum their beaks through the mesh. You might also try to attach the netting to the overhanging eaves, and then reverse back to the siding below the damaged area. Be sure to secure the netting tightly so that the birds have no way to get behind it. The good thing about most bird netting is that it now comes in various colors to match your home's color scheme, so if you install it correctly, it virtually disappears from view.

You might also try to install some visual woodpecker deterrents like banners that crinkle in the breeze and reflect sunlight. Balloons work too, especially the one's with large predator eyes on them. For best effect, these woodpecker deterrents should be rotated so birds don't get used to them. Woodpeckers are pretty smart.

By Alex A. Kecskes

Woodpeckers are nice to look at but they can cause a lot of damage. They can hammer you building’s wooden shingles, cedar or redwood siding into “Swiss cheese.”  And unless you find ways to get rid of woodpeckers, they’ll pummel your metal or plastic guttering until it leaks like a sieve.  They’re also partial to light posts, wooden signs and some synthetic stucco exterior finishing. Plywood and Masonite are less attractive to woodpeckers, but they still will attack these materials, peppering them with unsightly holes.

Without effective measures to get rid of woodpeckers, these birds can hack all around an area, creating a large unsightly hole the size of a baseball.  They can damage a roof rafter so severely that it will need to be reinforced with steel to make it structurally sound. Wood shakes or clapboard, synthetic stucco, chimney caps, aluminum flashing and even vinyl over wood are prime targets for woodpeckers.

The woodpecker that does the most damage to buildings is the northern flicker (Colaptes auratus). If you spot one in flight, you’ll notice the yellow or salmon tint under the wings and tail feathers.

So how do you get rid of woodpeckers? If you’re considering bird poisons or BB guns, forget it. Woodpeckers are a protected species, and the $500 fine you pay for killing them can poke a hole in your wallet faster than any woodpecker can drill into your siding. Fortunately, there are effective ways to deal with these birds that are quite humane. Some strategies:

Bird Scare Devices

These Bird Scare Deterrents are a fairly inexpensive way to get rid of woodpeckers. They’re the bright foils that crackle in the breeze, the reflective tape banners that whip about in the wind, and beach-ball size balloons with intimidating predator eyes that bob and weave to give woodpeckers the “willies.”

Hawk Decoys.  Woodpeckers fear hawks, which unlike owls, hunt during the day. So one way to get rid of woodpeckers is to set up a hawk decoy or two. The hawks should be roughly 11 inches long with a 20- to 24-inch wingspan. For best woodpecker deterrent effect, hang the decoy from the eave of your building where your woodpeckers have been active. Use a thin, clear fishing line. To enhance the deterrent effect, attach a mirror that reflects the hawk and make sure your woodpecker(s) can see it from where they regularly perch.

Sonic Systems. You’ve no doubt chased away a woodpecker or two by clapping your hands or banging pots. But do you really want to stand there and bang pots all day?  Better to get a Sonic Woodpecker Deterrent. These devices have successfully been used to drive away all manner of pest birds—including woodpeckers.  They emit predator and distress calls that convince woodpeckers that yours is a danger zone filled with hawks and other flying predators. These sounds have been specially recorded to alarm woodpeckers, yet they are not unpleasant to humans. The best sonic bird deterrents can be programmed to emit distress and predator calls 24/7. You can also add speaker units to significantly widen the coverage area. Some systems will continually alter the pitch, frequency, timing and intensity of their sounds for maximum deterrent effect.

by Fran Prisco

Woodpeckers have become one of the biggest nuisances of the pest birds in North America.  Besides the constant “tap, tap” that drives most homeowners crazy, they are also leaving holes in the trim, wood siding even stucco of homes.  It is instinct that causes the woodpecker to leave baseball size holes in the sides of wood homes and buildings.  They are looking for insects, nesting cavities or communicating with other woodpeckers.

Ways to Deter Woodpeckers

There are several humane and effective woodpecker deterrents that can be used to get rid of woodpeckers from the sides of buildings and homes.

Sound Deterrents Scare Woodpeckers Away

An easy way to get rid of woodpeckers is by installing a bird sound deterrent.  These sound deterrents will play predator calls and woodpecker distress calls.  The woodpecker will hear the calls and by instinct move on to an area that is perceived safer.  Most bird sound deterrents are made to be used outdoors, they are water resistant and made of rugged plastic.  At the first site of a woodpecker, install the sound deterrent and the bird should go away.

Woodpecker Scare Deterrents

There is a wide variety of scare devices on the market to get rid of woodpeckers.  These include scare balloons, Mylar flash tape and scare eye diverters.  When hung by the area that the woodpeckers are attacking, the reflective scare deterrents cause a distraction zone and the woodpeckers will move on.

Woodpecker Deterrent Netting

One way to deter pest woodpeckers is using woodpecker deterrent netting.  Hanging a plastic netting from the eaves of your home or building creates a “curtain” that the woodpeckers cannot get through. This will force the woodpeckers elsewhere to do their dastardly deed of creating holes in your wood siding.

Installing the Woodpecker Netting

Woodpecker deterrent netting can easily be attached to the end of the eave of the home and draped down.  This blocks the wall making it difficult for the woodpecker to get at the siding of the home.  Once the woodpeckers have gone it is safe to remove the netting and save for the next spring or fall, when woodpeckers are active again.

It is always recommended to install any type of bird control before the birds are a problem.  If you have had bird control issues in the past, install bird control deterrents before you have a problem again.

by Alex A. Kecskes

Woodpeckers often do a lot of damage to vacant summer or vacation homes. Regrettably, it's not until your siding resembles Swiss cheese that you finally realize you have a woodpecker problem.

The birds will drill holes into wood siding, window frames, eaves, trim and fascia boards. Woodpeckers generally like to hammer cedar and redwood siding. They'll also attack fir, pine, and cypress in a pinch. And they'll choose natural wood surfaces over painted wood. They seem to zero in on new construction and rustic, channeled plywood with cedar or redwood veneers. The birds will create holes in a narrow horizontal line looking for insects. If you have plastic parts in your rooftop water-heating solar panels or electrical solar panels, woodpeckers can cause you plenty of grief.

Then there's all the drumming these annoying birds do. Woodpeckers seem enjoy drumming in the springtime and choose wood and other areas where their drumming makes the loudest most resonant sounds. Areas like metal rain gutters, downspouts, chimney caps, TV dish antennas, rooftop plumbing vents, and metal roof valleys are common targets. The birds will drum intermittently all day long—for weeks, even months at a time.

If they drove you nuts last year, you may be tempted to shoot them or poison them, but be warned: Woodpeckers are migratory, non-game birds that are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In particular, the red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) and the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) are on the Endangered Species list and cannot be touched under penalty of law.

All is not lost, however. For there are effective, humane woodpecker repellants you can use to keep these annoying birds at bay.

One of the most effective methods of excluding woodpeckers from damaging wood siding under your eaves is to place lightweight plastic bird netting over the area. Plastic bird netting comes in a variety of mesh sizes and a 3/4-inch mesh is ideal for most woodpeckers. Leave a 3-inch space between the netting and the damaged building so that birds cannot drum their beaks through the mesh. You might also try to attach the netting to the overhanging eaves, and then reverse back to the siding below the damaged area. Be sure to secure the netting tightly so that the birds have no way to get behind it. The good thing about most bird netting is that it now comes in various colors to match your home's color scheme, so if you install it correctly, it virtually disappears from view.

You might also try to install some visual woodpecker deterrents like banners that crinkle in the breeze and reflect sunlight. Balloons work too, especially the one's with large predator eyes on them. For best effect, these woodpecker deterrents should be rotated so birds don't get used to them. Woodpeckers are pretty smart.

If you have a wood-shingled home with lots of open beams, you could be vulnerable to woodpeckers. If you have a patio cover or gazebo with nooks and crannies where birds can build a nest, you've got an open invitation to woodpeckers. If your garage has wood shingles or eaves, say hello to woodpeckers and expensive repairs.

Your only defense is these cases is a good offense—a safe and effective bird control strategy. One of the best strategies is to install and implement woodpecker deterrents before woodpeckers arrive for the spring.

Before getting into details about which woodpecker deterrents you should use, let's look at some of the woodpeckers you're likely to face. 

Golden-Front Woodpecker. This mid-sized bird is about 11 inches long. It has a gold stripe across the face and behind the neck. Some birds in this family have a small spot of yellow, orange or red in the center of their stomach. They have a pale tan breast with a black-and-white "zebra-stripe" or checkerboard pattern across the back and wings.

Red-Belly Woodpecker. This bird has a pale red back to the nape of its neck and a pale pink belly. Males have a longer and wider bill than the female.

Red-headed Woodpecker. This bird is about 8 inches long. Adults have a black back with white wing tips and underbelly. The head is deep red.

Acorn Woodpecker. A medium sized bird about 9 inches long, adults have black heads, back wings and tails, white chest and facial markings and large white eyes.

Ladder-Back Woodpecker. About 6 inches long, this bird has a black-and-white stripe on its back and wings with a pale underbelly and darker spots on the sides. Males have a red head spot, flecked with black or black and white. Females are usually substantially smaller and without red markings.

Downy Woodpecker. The smallest woodpecker in North America, the downy features a proportionately short beak (less than the length of its head), a white stripe down his back and a white underbelly.

Hairy Woodpecker. Typically 7 or 8 10 inches long, this bird has a white, off-white, pale grey or tan underbelly, black-and-white patterned back and wings, and a white or pale stripe down the back. Males may have two little red spots or a red nape patch.

Red-cockaded Woodpecker. This mid-sized bird is black with white striping and large white patches on either side of the head. The underside is white with black speckles. They have a small patch of red behind the eyes on either side.

Northern flicker At 12 inches, this is the second largest of the common woodpeckers of North America. The golden-shafted variety is most common in the eastern and northern part of North America, while the red-shafted variety is more often seen in the west. Flickers are typically gray and brown with black striped markings across the back. The underside is light grey or pale tan with darker speckles.

Pileated Woodpecker.  A large bird averaging 18 inches long, these birds feature a bright red crested cap on the top of their heads. The adult males also have a red strip on either side of the bill. They are almost black, with contrasting white marks on the face.

So now you know what the "enemy" looks like, you can prepare for their onslaught. Some of the best woodpecker deterrents are listed below:

Bird Netting. This exclusionary woodpecker deterrent has been widely used with considerable success. Choose plastic netting made of a mesh that is fine enough to prevent the bird’s wings from getting caught. Manufacturers offer U.V. protected polypropylene netting in various mesh sizes and colors.

Bird Scare Devices. These are reflective foils, shiny tape banners and balloons that make woodpeckers too nervous to hang around. They crackle in the breeze and reflect the sunlight. The best balloons have large predator eyes.

Sonic Devices. Woodpeckers are deathly afraid of hawks. These devices can be set up to broadcast hawk sounds attacking a bird—this is not what your average woodpecker wants to hear while they're building a nest.

Remember, the best strategy is to install these woodpecker deterrents before woodpeckers arrive.

by Alex A. Kecskes

Woodpeckers on homes can give homeowners an awful lot of grief. They will tap-tap night and day on aluminum siding and wood, and leave nasty little holes in fascia or trim boards, on wood beams, even stucco or brick. They'll puncture metal gutters, downspouts, chimney tops and roof vents. They can quickly disfigure board-and batten or tongue-and-groove siding, especially at the seams, leaving gaping, baseball size holes. Instinct makes them do it. The birds are simply looking for insects, nesting cavities, or ways to communicate with other woodpeckers.

There are 22 species of woodpeckers in North America, the most common being the Downey Woodpecker. Also quite ubiquitous are the Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker. The birds are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so you can put away your BB gun, poisons or other lethal traps. Any bird control measure used to deter woodpeckers on homes must be non-lethal and humane.  Fortunately, there are a number of humane and highly effective woodpecker deterrents you can use to discourage woodpeckers from your home.
Sonic Bird Deterrents

Certain sounds can keep woodpeckers from homes. Sounds emitted by Sonic Woodpecker Deterrents. These devices create alarming distress and predator calls that make woodpeckers nervous enough to leave. One woodpecker control manufacturer teamed up with ornithologists at a major university to develop just the right sounds to deter pest birds. They came up with a device that broadcasts distress and/or predator calls of 22 different species of birds. And, yes, the device can be programmed to emit hawk sounds, a woodpecker's natural enemy. If yours is a large property with several buildings, not to worry, some sonic woodpecker deterrents will cover up to an acre. You can even attach extra speakers to expand the coverage up to six acres.

Bird Scare Devices

The problem of woodpeckers on homes can be solved by using a little bird psychology, which can be quite effective if done properly. The Bird Scare Device is an ideal way to bird proof a number of areas from woodpeckers. Among the many such devices are Flash Tape and Reflective Banners, which are made of iridescent material that crinkles and reflects sunlight. The audio-visual distractions they create alarms most species of woodpeckers. 

Bird Scare Balloons work on the same basic principle with the added deterrent of large reflective predator eyes that makes woodpeckers feel threatened. Most Bird Scare Balloons are approximately16” diameter when fully inflated, and the best balloons are made of a U.V.- and weather-resistant vinyl. Finally, there's the Bird Scare Diverter, a pendant-like banner covered with a large mock eye to give woodpeckers the creeps.

These devices are easy to install and use, and they work best when hung as close as possible to the area plagued by woodpeckers. They should also be moved around and swapped out occasionally to prevent woodpeckers from getting used to them.

Bird Netting

An ideal exclusionary method for eliminating woodpeckers on homes, Woodpecker deterrent netting denies these birds direct access to specific areas of a dwelling.  Today's bird netting comes in a variety of types, cuts, mesh sizes and colors, so there's lots of flexibility here. For woodpeckers, 3/4-inch mesh size is probably best. It also doesn't hurt to go with U.V. stabilized, flame resistant and rot- and water-proof netting. Consider non-conductive netting for installations where electrical conductivity or radio frequency interference could cause problems. The best bird proof netting meets ISO 1806 protocols.

Installation is fairly straightforward. Simply stretch the netting from the eaves to a lower point on your home. Remember to leave at least three inches of space between the netting and damaged surface so that the birds can't peck through the mesh. If you choose a netting color that blends with your home's exterior, the netting will be barely visible from a distance of a few yards. Netting can be attached using tape, staples, or hooks on the eaves and the side of your home. Using hooks lets you easily take down the netting to replace light bulbs or paint. If you use staples, make sure they are rust-resistant to avoid unsightly rust stains on the building.

Remove Their Food Source 

In conjunction with these deterrents, it would be wise to remove a woodpecker's food sources. Insects burrowed in the home keep woodpeckers on homes. You should perform an inspection around the exterior of your home every other month or so to be on the lookout for certain insects woodpeckers like to feast on. These include the following:

Leafcutter bees--these insects love to nest in the gaps of your horizontal wood siding. They also like cedar shake roofs with their vertical cracks. Woodpeckers often make small horizontal or vertical rows of holes as they search for these little bugs.

Female carpenter bees--these insects drill small round holes about the size of a dime into many different types of wood, including siding and roofing. If these bees have burrowed a three-foot long tunnel, a woodpecker will drill your siding for the full length of the tunnel.

Bagworm larvae--these resemble tiny caterpillars attached to tree trunks, wood fencing, or siding. Woodpeckers will go after these larvae and do damage in the process.

Getting rid of these insects can make your property less inviting to woodpeckers. Combined with the bird proofing methods outlined above, they can keep your home from the damage and noise woodpeckers can create. Being proactive is the key, for once these birds start nesting and roosting on your home, it can be tough to remove them.