Woodpeckers use their sharp beaks to make holes in trees, then insert their long, prickly tongues to eat insects, and dig nests to rest at night. Woodpeckers also peck at wood to mark their territory and find mates. If a woodpecker sees your house as its nest, it can cause exterior damage and annoy you with its rattling noises. Learn how to keep woodpeckers out of your home and property.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Changing the Woodpecker's Food Source
Step 1. Check your home for signs of woodpeckers
If woodpeckers make holes in your home often, there's a good chance they have a reason to stay there. Your home may be a hotbed of insect populations, such as bees, ants, or termites, and has an atmosphere that woodpeckers like. Taking action to eliminate the food source is the first step to getting rid of the animal.
- Go to the attic or area of the house closest to where the woodpecker nests. Look for dead insects on windowsills and corners of the room. Check the beehive in the rafters. Look for wood that is brittle and hollow inside or outside the home. These are all signs of a pest attack.
- If you see signs of a pest attack, immediately take preventive steps to deal with it. Use natural methods to get rid of bugs or seek professional help to solve the problem.
Step 2. Put animal fat in an area near your home
Woodpeckers love to eat animal fat, especially fat from cows. You can buy this feed at a pet store or bird feed specialty store. Hang the feed above the ground so it doesn't get eaten by other animals.
- Place food near your house where woodpeckers often peck. They will find the fat and eat it there.
- Move the feed away from the house gradually, just a few meters, until it is completely away from your house. This way, the woodpecker will get used to pecking at fat, not your house.
- The fat can melt when the weather is hot and hit the bird's wings so that the feathers are damaged. Do not use this feed when the weather is hot.
- Prepare animal fat for each season, especially when birds have trouble finding food in the wild.
- Don't practice this technique if you haven't got rid of the bugs at home – otherwise more woodpeckers will come!
Step 3. Plant a fruit tree or berry bush
Woodpeckers are easily attracted to sweet fruits. So, planting both plants around the yard, not near the house, can keep woodpeckers away. However, make sure the trees and shrubs are not planted too close to the house.
Method 2 of 3: Using a Woodpecker Repellent
Step 1. Get as much information as you can before buying a woodpecker repellent
Scientific findings show that most bird repellents are useless. One example is the installation of nets at home to stop woodpecker attacks. Visual repellents don't work as well as woodpeckers can quickly understand that they're not doing them any harm. They will be scared at first, but over time they will get used to the presence of the tool.
Step 2. Apply reflective tape near the damaged area
One method with a success rate of around 50% is the use of reflective tape (such as Irri-Tape™, Bird Blinder™, Brite Way™, and other brands) near areas damaged by woodpeckers:
- You can try hanging aluminum scraps, old CDs, or other shiny objects, but reflective duct tape works best. Use a 1-1.5 meter long strip so that one end sways in the wind. If birds are pecking at the sides of the house, tape a few pieces of duct tape several meters apart. Keep in mind that the gloss on the duct tape will wear off over time, and only works if the wind is moving it.
- Hang flags or decorative ribbons near the area to make it easier for birds to see. A windshock or windmill that moves quickly when the wind blows may be effective in scaring woodpeckers.
- Sound-based repellents, such as ultrasonic recordings of pained woodpeckers or predatory sounds, have been tested and shown to have no effect, at least on Pileated woodpeckers.
- Install some wind chimes inside and outside the house. The sound of the bells may scare the woodpecker.
- If a Feathered Woodpecker, Lewis Woodpecker, Red Woodpecker, or Northern Flicker is trying to nest in your home, installing a nest box in the pecked area (or near the area) will give it a better place to live. Be sure to leave plenty of wood chips around February or March so they can follow their instincts to dig it out. The above types of woodpeckers know how to use man-made boxes for nesting.
Method 3 of 3: Keeping the House Safe
Step 1. Fix the holes in the house to keep woodpeckers from coming
Once a Woodpecker makes a hole in your house, more and more birds will come. Insects can enter the hole and multiply, making the problem worse.
- Use clay to close the hole the Woodpecker made as soon as you find it.
- Coat the clay with oil or polyurethane paint once it dries to prevent insects from nesting in your house. The fewer insects, the less woodpeckers that come.
Step 2. Protect the house from further damage
Install mosquito nets, plastic nets, or bird nets in areas of the house that are damaged. This will prevent the trigger from causing more damage.
Step 3. Contact the appropriate agency for assistance
Animal protection laws also protect the presence and migration of woodpeckers (though most of them do not migrate). Get professional help to catch and move the trigger to a safer location.
Tips
Combine all the methods above for maximum results
Warning
- Do not shoot, trap, or hurt the woodpecker. Don't disturb the nest. The animal is protected by law.
- Do not use sticky gels or strong-smelling chemicals. Both materials are not effective. The gel – which is extremely difficult to remove – can even clump down feathers, bird droppings, and other things that are an eyesore.
