Woodpecker Deterrents

If you’re a homeowner in any area where there are trees, you’ve probably had problems with woodpeckers. They often drill nasty, gaping holes in your siding, fascia boards, EIFS, and those beautiful architectural elements created with foam.

The problem is compounded by the fact that woodpeckers are classified as migratory, non-game birds and are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. So forget about poisons or pellet guns. Lethal controls or nest destruction can only be implemented with a special permit issued by the Law Enforcement Division of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and after recommendation of USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Service’s personnel.

So what can you do to protect your home from woodpecker damage? Fortunately, there’s a humane and highly effective woodpecker deterrent that’s recently been developed. It’s Called BeakGuard.

BeakGuard Works

BeakGuard is a paint-on Woodpecker Deterrent that quickly conveys a warning signal to any woodpecker that may be tempted to start pecking on your home. The results are startling and virtually immediate. After two years of field testing in the most prolific woodpecker areas of the country including  Montana, Colorado, South Dakota and Washington, BeakGuard scored a success rate that exceeded 90% in deterring further building damage. 

BeakGuard was tested on building structures experiencing ongoing woodpecker problems. In one test, a remodeled office building outside of Seattle, Washington with large EIFS cornices (coated foam insulation) was assaulted by woodpeckers every season. Some years the drumming resulted in more than 10 holes around the building—holes that eventually became  nesting sites for smaller birds. The holes had to be filled with spray foam, sanded and refinished every year. After coating the building with BeakGuard, not a single woodpecker has damaged the building.

BeakGuard is Easy to Apply

Easily applied to latex painted surfaces, wood, fiber-cement, stucco, aluminum or vinyl, BeakGuard is an elastomeric acrylic. You can apply it with a brush, roller, paint pad or appropriate spray equipment. One gallon covers about 180 square feet. Thinning of the product is not recommended. BeakGuard should be screened prior to spray application, and the manufacturer recommends that you don’t thin the product. Back-roll BeakGuard when applying over acrylic finishes or other textured substrates. Depending on your climate, BeakGuard usually dries in just 24 hours.

BeakGuard Won’t Harm Birds

BeakGuard uses a common compound that will not harm woodpeckers or any other bird species. In fact, the ingredients in BeakGuard are used in many consumer products on the market today. Products like nail biting and thumb sucking deterrents used to break children of these habits use this technology.

BeakGuard Lasts and is Color Fast

Beakguard is specially engineered to leave a durable, long lasting finish. It resists dirt pick up and holds up to season after season of rough weather. It leaves a vapor permeable, flexible membrane that ensures the color won’t fade or change in tone.

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.

Are woodpeckers pecking holes in your wood or stucco? Do you have so many holes in your siding that smaller birds have started to nest in abandoned woodpecker holes? Without effective and humane bird deterrents, your home will be at the mercy of woodpeckers. Can you afford the expense of re-siding your home right now?

One homeowner had woodpeckers eating through the mahogany siding covering her home. But when she filled in the holes and the house was repainted, the woodpeckers came back as soon as the painters left. One woodpecker put its head into the hole it had made and yanked insulation right out of the wall. Woodpeckers have been known to peck away at siding and tear out the insulation to make a hole suitable for nesting.

Another homeowner had woodpeckers pecking right through her wood siding and through the plywood underneath. The birds promptly tore the insulation out and built a nest between the wallboard and plywood. She put tin over the holes, but the birds just pecked a new hole next to the tin. She plans on putting vinyl siding over the wood, but believes they may peck through that as well. A consultation with a bird control expert would be a smart first move.

Contrary to common belief, woodpeckers aren’t looking for bugs when they peck holes in your siding. Experts suggest that woodpeckers seek bugs in your boards less than 10 percent of the time. And the bugs they’re looking for are usually harmless to your wood or siding.

Getting rid of woodpeckers can be a challenge—unless you use professional bird control methods. Shooting them, destroying their nests, or using poisons are cruel methods that may be illegal. Woodpeckers are protected in most states, so these methods are ill advised.  Here are some woodpecker deterrents the pros recommend:

Woodpecker Deterrent Kits

To get rid of woodpeckers, get a Wood Pecker Deterrent Kit. They come with a Bird Repeller Balloon, a 50-foot roll of Flash Tape, and all the hardware you need to hang them up. Flash Tape Banners crinkle in the breeze and reflect sunlight, which will scare most birds away. Bird Repeller Balloons are covered with  a big “predator eye.” The balloons bob and weave in the wind and convince birds that a giant predator is ogling them. To ensure woodpeckers don’t get used to these “threats,” your should move them around frequently.

Lightweight Plastic Bird Netting

By physically blocking out birds from your siding, Lightweight Plastic Bird Netting denies woodpeckers access to it. Bird netting comes in several mesh sizes. For woodpeckers, get 3/4-inch mesh netting. You can also get bird netting in a variety of colors to match your home's exterior.  To keep woodpeckers away, install the netting in overhanging eaves or other nooks and crannies where woodpeckers peck.

by Terra Anders

It seemed that the infamously obnoxious Woody Woodpecker pestered his victims for the pure joy of it.  In fact, in many episodes of this fun-loving cartoon the victims ended up looking far more looney than Woody. They tried ridiculous bird control methods in an attempt to end the tap, tap tapping of the woodpecker’s relentless noisemaking. From salt on his tail to cleverly disguised traps, nothing seemed to be clever enough outsmart this rambunctious woodpecker.

In reality, the North American Woodpeckers are beautiful birds that happen to have the unfortunate habit of pecking tree trunks, sides of houses, chimneys or roofs.  This pecking is done for specific reasons, none of which is for the mere pleasure of watching homeowners run in horror to the library to learn about effective bird deterrents.  Woodpeckers will drum on almost anything that makes a loud sound.  Drumming that creates a loud noise is almost always done to attract a mate.  This is a musical ritual performed by both male and female woodpeckers, and will dramatically increase in the Spring during breeding season.

The indentations from pecking are also done to mark the pest bird’s territory, warning other woodpeckers that this area is taken.  Drumming on tree trunks is likely done in search of food that might be lingering just a peck away. Homeowners who find the sides of their home or barns abused by the bird’s drumming, might find this is actually from the pest bird’s drilling a nesting cavity safe from predators, but close to a good food supply. Woodpecker control can actually be quite effective, and it doesn’t have to peck away at the pocketbook.

Woodpecker deterrents are simple to install, and if set up before the Spring mating season, can eliminate the temptation of Woody and his friends from even stopping by for a visit. To humanely keep birds away, try some of these simple pre-season steps.

Rid yards of any dead or dying trees or trunks that might invite woodpeckers searching for an entry point. Schedule regular maintenance checks with a pest control service to be sure that termites or other wood boring insects can be found.  Eliminating the food source is one way to make sure the woodpecker’s drumming is short lived. 

Most birds do not like bright colored moving objects. Hanging strips of red and silver mylar flash tape from the roofline of is one persuasive bird control method that can scare birds away from house siding or eaves.  This tape can also be used in the gardens or patios to deter birds from pecking at fruit or tree nuts.

If the woodpeckers have already landed, you can fight noise with noise by using a bird control sonic sound device. This apparatus comes complete with speakers and pre-programmed sounds that replicate bird distress sounds and broadcasts these sounds at ten-minutes intervals so woodpeckers will feel threatened and leave.  Those that haven’t landed won’t touch down.

Setting up bird deterrents for the North American Woodpecker doesn’t have to look like a script from a cartoon strip. Just using a few of the steps mentioned here can keep Woody and his feathered flocks flying right on by.

by Alex A. Kecskes

Your neighbor had woodpeckers peck holes in his beautiful wood siding. It was a sight to see. Holes everywhere--as if his house had been hit with shotguns. He finally decided to get some bird deterrents. They won’t be bothering his house anymore—they’ll be coming to your house. Because you didn’t install any bird deterrents. And you’ve got some really “tasty” wood siding.  So as far as the woodpeckers are concerned, it’s open season on your property. They’ll come in the spring. A few at first, looking for insects, digging and poking, And once they’ve discovered a food source, they’ll turn your siding into Swiss cheese. 

You’ll bang pots, put the water hose to them, maybe hit a few with your BB gun, but they’ll be back. They love cedar and redwood and the bark on that favorite old tree your kids play on. Try to destroy them or mess with their nests and you could be fined. Woodpeckers, you see, are classified as migratory non-game birds and are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

What you need to protect your home and that favorite tree are some serious and humane woodpecker deterrents. No need to harm the little peckers, just convince them to move on. Here are a few suggestions from the pros:

Woodpecker Deterrent Kits

One proven way to get rid of woodpeckers is with a Wood Pecker Deterrent Kit. These include one Bird Repeller Balloon, a 50-foot roll of Flash Tape, and exactly the right hardware to hang these deterrents.

All birds get real nervous around shiny wavy things, especially if they make noise. Flash Tape Banners crinkle in the breeze and reflect sunlight, which is enough to spook most birds. It’s the same with Bird Repeller Balloons. These beachball-size deterrents feature a big “predator eye,” and when they bob and weave in the breeze, birds think it’s some huge predator ready to pounce on them. To ensure woodpeckers believe these are real threats, it’s best to move them around from time to time.

Lightweight Plastic Bird Netting

This popular bird deterrent works on the principle of exclusion. It physically blocks out birds from roosting and nesting. And they have to do that to feel comfortable while pecking and looking for food. Plastic bird netting comes in several mesh sizes. To keep out woodpeckers, you’ll need 3/4-inch mesh netting. Some manufacturers even offer bird netting in a variety of colors to match your home's exterior.  To keep woodpeckers away from your siding, you should install bird netting in overhanging eaves or any other nooks and crannies where woodpeckers search for food.

So there you have it: two effective ways to keep your neighbor’s woodpeckers from invading your property. Don’t wait too long, though. Once they’ve invaded your property, it’s hard 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

It's that time of year again.  When woodpeckers come a knocking and holes start appearing all around your home, patio, gazebo and even your wooden hot tub.

You can't really blame them. They have their reasons for turning your property into "Swiss cheese." One big reason: they're just looking for a meal. They also tap away during their mating season. Woodpeckers love to tap-tap endlessly on aluminum siding and fascia or trim boards on wood, stucco or brick. And this includes metal gutters, downspouts, chimney tops and roof vents. Time to bird proof your property.

Woodpecker roosting or nesting holes are often found in structures near wooded areas, in clapboard, board-and batten or tongue-and-groove siding made of redwood or cedar. Regrettably, woodpeckers prefer to drill holes in the seams of siding, since there's very little resistance at that juncture. It doesn't matter if the seams are vertical or horizontal, the holes will usually be quite large--baseball size on average. These holes are most often created in the late summer and fall as the birds prepare for winter. Nesting holes, on the other hand, are usually drilled out at the start of the breeding season--between late April and May.
Woodpeckers Destroy Poles, Big Time

Tens of thousands of power and telephone poles are destroyed annually by woodpeckers. And they are the primary cause of above-ground wood pole damage. While hundreds of different chemicals have been tried to deter woodpeckers from wood poles, none have proven effective as a woodpecker-control measure. Of the wood pole structures damaged by woodpeckers, the larger and more expensive high-tension electric transmission line structures are particularly vulnerable.

Nearly a Dozen Species of Woodpeckers

Most people don't realize that there are 22 species of woodpeckers in North America. The most common species in the U.S. is the Downey Woodpecker. Other common species include the Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker.

Woodpeckers usually inhabit woods and forests, but in the absence of bird proofing measures, they will wander into populated areas looking for insects, fruit, acorns and nuts. They tap or peck on tree trunks, poles and wood siding to find insects, to excavate nesting cavities, and to communicate with other woodpeckers. The birds are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so forget about shotguns, BB guns, poisons or lethal traps. Any bird control measure used to deter or repel them must be non-lethal and humane. 

While there are many species of woodpeckers that can damage your property and your sanity, there are also a number of humane and highly effective bird deterrents you can use to keep them away. And with woodpecker season well upon us, now's the time to arm yourself against their onslaught.

Sounds that Scare Woodpeckers

One of the most effective woodpecker proofing measures used against woodpeckers is the Sonic Bird Deterrent. These systems have been carefully designed to emit sounds that work on a bird's psyche. In fact, one manufacturer worked with ornithologists at a major university to develop just the right sounds to deter pest birds. A popular sonic system is one that plays the distress calls of over 22 different species of birds. This versatile system can be specifically programmed for woodpeckers to emit hawk sounds, a woodpecker's natural enemy. These threatening sounds can be broadcast every ten minutes to scare woodpeckers from large open spaces.

Some sonic bird deterrent systems have a built-in speaker that will cover up to an acre. Extra speakers can be attached to expand the coverage up to six acres. One advantage sonic systems have against those that emit high-pitched ultrasonic noises is that they don't bother pets. They are an ideal bird proofing measure for deterring woodpeckers from backyards, courtyards, loading docks, warehouses, gardens, patios, parks, golf courses and wooden utility poles.

Devices that Scare Woodpeckers

Another effective woodpecker control measure, the Bird Scare Device, is an ideal way to bird proof a number of areas from woodpeckers.

Perhaps the simplest of these is Flash Tape. This basic woodpecker deterrent is often made of iridescent material that shimmers and reflects in the sunlight. This thin metal tape will crackle in the breeze. The combination of audio-visual distractions works to disorient and confuse most species of woodpeckers. Flash tape is easily mounted almost anywhere. It can deter woodpeckers from barns, sheds, storage areas, warehouses, farms, carports parking lots, homes, boats and boat docks.

Another bird scare device that has met with considerable success in deterring woodpeckers is the Bird Scare Balloon. Often covered with huge reflective predator eyes or other bird-threatening markings, these balloons wave in the breeze and convince woodpeckers that danger is about to pounce on them. Most bird scare balloons are about 16” diameter when fully inflated. The best balloons are constructed of a U.V.- resistant and weather-resistant vinyl. They have proven themselves in deterring pest birds from fruit trees, gazebos, boats, patio covers, and building overhangs.

Working on the same basic principle as the bird scare balloon is the Bird Scare Diverter. The pendant-like fixture is typically covered with a large mock eye to make woodpeckers feel really uneasy. These devices work best when hung as close as possible to the area plagued by woodpeckers. Diverters are easy to use, and can be easily stored away when not needed.

One Final Thought

If woodpeckers attack your siding or roof, you have one of three food sources they like to feast on:

Female carpenter bees--these 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.

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.

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 attractive to woodpeckers.