Woodpecker Deterrents

If your siding is being damaged by birds, the likely culprits are woodpeckers or swallows. Without effective bird control measures to deter them, woodpeckers will peck holes in both your wood and stucco.  Smaller birds will even nest in abandoned woodpecker holes. Swallows prefer to nest on vertical surfaces under eaves or overhangs, leaving unsightly and damaging mud nests on the sides of your home.

Woodpeckers have also been known to penetrate siding and yank out the underlying wall insulation. Holes created by determined woodpeckers can be as large as 4 inches in diameter.  Imagine how your home would look if you had holes that size peppered all over your siding. You’d have to replace it or risk rainwater getting into the side of your home. That’s a huge expense you don’t really need in these tough economic times.

You need to be proactive if you want to protect the sides of your home from bird damage.  Wood siding, window frames, eaves, trim and fascia boards are all fair game. As are rustic, channeled plywood with cedar or redwood veneers. BB guns, bird poisons, or attacking their nests are a no-no. Woodpeckers and swallows are migratory, non-game birds that are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Non-lethal, humane bird control measures should be used. Here are three effective bird control deterrents you should consider:

Woodpecker Netting 3/4" Mesh

Lightweight,  easy to handle and virtually invisible, 3/4” mesh plastic bird netting will prevent woodpeckers and swallows from accessing specific areas of your home. The netting comes in 14’ x 100’ pieces, can be cut to the desired size, and is easy to store and use. The best netting will be made from UV-protected polypropylene for lasting durability outdoors. A bird netting kit makes this netting easy to install.  The kits include Poly Clips to secure the netting under eaves.  These self-adhering clips hold the netting tightly in place.

Red-Tail Hawk Decoys

Even the dumbest, most determined bird knows it’s time to leave when they see a Red Tail Hawk.  Decoys of this predator make decorative bird-control accents around your home.  Always get the most realistic decoy you can buy. The best hawk decoys will be manufactured of heavy duty plastic to remain convincingly realistic year after year.  Just place them in high visibility areas near your home and move them around from time to time to sustain the illusion of a real live hawk.

Visual Bird Deterrents

Easy to install and relatively inexpensive, Visual Bird Deterrents include Flash Tape and Reflective Banners, which whip about in the breeze and catch the sunlight. Equally effective are Scare Eye Diverters and Bird Scare Balloons, which boast mock predator eyes that glare down on birds to convince them that danger is near. Attach these deterrents to high visibility areas around the perimeter of your home, and move them around often to convince birds they are “living” threats.