Woodpecker Deterrents

With bird season right around the corner, the one bird you definitely want to deter is the woodpecker. While it’s interesting to watch them hammer holes in trees, it’s not so interesting when they’re turning your home siding into Swiss cheese. Or when they’re pulling the insulation out of your exterior walls to make room for nests.

The time to install woodpecker deterrents is before the birds arrive, not after. Once your siding and decorative beams are riddled with holes, you’re left with expensive replacement costs. And like a woodpecker, you’ll be beating your head against the wall for not being proactive about woodpecker control.

Your neighbor may have told you that woodpeckers are looking for harmful bugs when they peck holes in your siding.  But according to the experts, this is the case less than 10 percent of the time, and when they do dig for bugs, the insects are usually harmless to wood or siding.

Woodpeckers are not too particular about what they peck. They’ll “ventilate” mahogany siding, plywood, beams, plastic guttering, light posts, even synthetic stucco finishes.

You may be tempted to shoot the little peckers, but be warned: destroying their nests, or using poisons are cruel methods are illegal in many areas. Here are some woodpecker deterrents that are both humane and effective:

Lightweight Plastic Bird Netting

Ideal for physically denying specific areas of your home from woodpecker attacks, Lightweight Plastic Bird Netting has been proven to work in homes and businesses around the country. This bird netting comes in a number if mesh sizes. For woodpeckers, the 3/4-inch mesh netting is most often recommended. This netting even comes in a variety of colors to match the exterior color of the structure. Used as a woodpecker deterrent, the netting is best installed in overhanging eaves, patio covers or other elevated areas of a structure. 

Woodpecker Deterrent Kits

Packed with everything you need to get rid of woodpeckers, Woodpecker Deterrent Kits include a Bird Repeller Balloon, 50 feet of Flash Tape, and mounting hardware. The Flash Tape Banners rattle in the breeze and reflect sunlight to constantly distract and annoy the birds. Bird Repeller Balloons are covered with large Cyclops “predator eyes” and whip about in the breeze to further distract the birds. All  you have to do is move these visual deterrents around from time to make woodpeckers believe they constitute a real threat.

BeakGuard Woodpecker Deterrent

An innovative development from bird control experts, BeakGuard Woodpecker Deterrent is an elastomeric acrylic finish that conveys a warning signal to woodpeckers that discourages them from pecking your wood. The compound is harmless to woodpeckers and other birds. BeakGuard covers latex-painted surfaces, wood, fiber-cement, stucco, aluminum or vinyl. It leaves a durable, color fast, vapor permeable finish that resists dirt and harsh weather. It’s easily applied with a brush, roller, paint pad or power sprayer. And one gallon covers about 180 square feet.

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.