by Alex A. KecskesYour 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 insectsWoodpeckers 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.