How to get ride of Wood Peckers?

M.D. Holloway · 10-22-2016, 08:02 PM

My Bro in CT has Wood Peckers putting holes in the side of his house. These things are protected so he can't shoot them...actually he could but he's a terrible shot and would end up killing someone. He tried all the things at Lowes and Home Depot including the spray, plastic owls, shiny streamers...nothing.

Ideas?

RKDinOKC · RKDinOKC's Garage

Have his house fumigated to get rid of the bugs/termites they are eating?

Heel n Toe · 10-22-2016, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

My Bro in CT has Wood Peckers putting holes in the side of his house. These things are protected so he can't shoot them...actually he could but he's a terrible shot and would end up killing someone. He tried all the things at Lowes and Home Depot including the spray, plastic owls, shiny streamers...nothing.

Ideas?

1. Call an exterminator.
..............or
2. Brick it up. Yes. The house.
..............or
3. Move.
..............or
4. Get a few of those fake owls and attach them at different places on the edge of the roof.
..............or
5. Get a few of those fake 7' rattlesnakes and attach them at different places on the edge of the roof.

KFC911 · 10-23-2016, 03:09 AM

He has rotting wood behind his siding that have tasty morsels that attract the peckerheads...btdt

. My neighbor had a real mess, and I had them attacking the top of my chimney chase before we both corrected the problem earlier this year...I had the whole chimney resided with Hardie after tearing out the bad stuff behind. Owls, etc won't deter...

E Sully · E Sully's Garage

When I bought my house in '91, I had a woodpecker working one corner. Carpenter ants were the real issue. I ripped open the corner, fumigated and replaced all the damaged wood. No more woodpecker problem.
Don't kill the messenger, fix the underlying problem.

KFC911 · 10-23-2016, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E Sully

...
Don't kill the messenger, fix the underlying problem.

Worth repeating!!! I had the top of my chimney resided just a few years ago, but they didn't detect or fix the real issue underneath. Bandaids won't last...

recycled sixtie · recycled sixtie's Garage

Heel n toe has a good list of solutions. Brick would be expensive though. Vinyl siding like we have would deter woodpeckers but would cheapen the look of the house. The only problem we have with woodpeckers is they play rat tat tat on the metal chimney in the spring.

KFC911 · 10-23-2016, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by recycled sixtie

Heel n toe has a good list of solutions....

#1 is a temporary bandaid
#s 4 and 5 just won't work

stomachmonkey · 10-23-2016, 05:02 AM

You gotta be a weasel to ride woodpeckers.

DanielDudley · 10-23-2016, 05:04 AM

Yes, it's a siding issue. He doesn't have to reside the entire house, but he does have to replace the offending boards.

BK911 · BK911's Garage

Jack off using sand paper?

Jolly Amaranto · 10-23-2016, 05:52 AM

Bill Verburg · Bill Verburg's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by M.D. Holloway

My Bro in CT has Wood Peckers putting holes in the side of his house. These things are protected so he can't shoot them...actually he could but he's a terrible shot and would end up killing someone. He tried all the things at Lowes and Home Depot including the spray, plastic owls, shiny streamers...nothing.

Ideas?

I'm not suggesting that you do this, but
rat traps hung in strategic places on the hose, properly baited have been known to work

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Verburg

I'm not suggesting that you do this, but
rat traps hung in strategic places on the hose, properly baited have been known to work

I do this for pigeons. My neighbor, whose house has been for sale forever, has a sizeable chunk out of his chimney from a woodpecker. We have one once in a while that annoys the hell out of me. But I can't see that he's pecking in the same place all the time, and I haven't noticed any bugs. It's so dry here, how could we have rotting wood under the stucco?

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

As many here have said, find out what they're finding to eat. An inexpensive but temporary deterrent is to hang bird netting from the eves about 6" from the wall.

recycled sixtie · recycled sixtie's Garage

Does wood have to be stained for appearance and preservation purposes? Surely there must be stains that have a taste or smell that would deter those pesky birds?

Is that a business idea or perhaps it already has been covered?

1990C4S · 10-23-2016, 07:51 AM

Post a map to Flatbutt's place.

Peckers are easily lured to beavers.

john70t · 10-23-2016, 07:55 AM

Woodpeckers also peck for territorial/mating display during certain times of the season.

There was one this morning clucking and pecking on the outside of my house.
I have metal siding.
Had to slap the walls a couple times to get rid of it.

SCadaddle · 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john70t

Woodpeckers also peck for territorial/mating display during certain times of the season.

There was one this morning clucking and pecking on the outside of my house.
I have metal siding.
Had to slap the walls a couple times to get rid of it.

Bingo. It's all about showing the ladies who has the biggest pecker. You need some female woodpeckers or at least a bunch of raw peanuts in an elevated tray that the squirrels can't get to. They'll leave your house alone if you give them an alternative.

seanratpel · seanratpel's Garage

My neighbor has (HAD) woodpecker problems. He put up 4 or 5 regular silver pie tins (12") DIAMETER. He told me the reasoning behind it but I don't remember. As long as they're up the birds don't go anywhere near his house anymore. Maybe you can research it.