Woodpecker Deterrents

Woodpeckers are interesting birds. Woodpeckers pecking away at a distant tree produce a soft, rhythmic sound; a sort of natural music. But often, these birds can become a real nuisance. Imagine, being woken-up from sleep early in the morning by a loud drumming noise. Start using good woodpecker deterrents, before these birds make a permanent halt on your house tree.

Woodpeckers are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. So, the methods used to control woodpeckers should not harm them. Otherwise you will end up paying a hefty fine, that will burn a hole in your pocket bigger than any holes a woodpecker may have made on your house.

Woodpeckers peck the wood on your roofs and sides of the house or sidings, in search of insects. Drumming is another activity, characterized by repetitive, machine gun-like rat-a-tats, and is done by woodpeckers in the mating season, to announce their ownership over a particular area. The woodpecker, obviously has no idea about the kind of nuisance it inadvertently becomes. Let's have a look at some of the woodpecker deterrents available today.

Visual Deterrents

Visual deterrents are a form of scare tactic. These include - hanging aluminum foil strips, strings of reflective tapes, or balloons with owl-eyes painted on them, strings of noisy tin can lids, pulsating water sprinklers or wind chimes. Some of these can be made at home. Hand-held windmill is an example of homemade woodpecker deterrent. Make sure you hang only shiny or noisy things, which can distract the woodpeckers when wind blows. Silhouettes of predatory birds like falcons, hawks or owls can be used, but since they are stationary, they may not deter the woodpeckers for too long.

Auditory Deterrents

There are some mechanical devices which produce a noise as soon as they detect motion in the vicinity. These can be very effective, as they play out the sounds similar to those of certain predatory birds, at a frequency audible to woodpeckers. But they are an expensive option.

Distractionary Deterrents

Suet feeders are the most widely used to distract woodpeckers from pecking the wood of your tree. Suet is the hard, fatty tissue in cows and sheep, which surrounds their kidney and liver. It is easily available at any butcher's shop. Placing a suet feeder close to the areas frequented by the woodpecker, will be an ideal distraction. In some days' time, the bird will get accustomed to feeding on it. Gradually, move the suet feeder away from the house, so that the woodpeckers will stop coming to your homes as uninvited guests.

Use of Nets as Barriers

The most effective woodpecker deterrent is creating a barrier between the wood and the woodpecker, by covering the wood with hardware cloth, sheet metal, nylon bird netting or plastic netting. At least 3" space should be left between the netting and the affected wood, so that the woodpecker cannot access the wood through the netting. Hardware cloth is most popular as it can be painted to match the exterior of your house.

Chemical Deterrents

Spraying certain chemicals like Methyl Anthranilate on land is effective, as it produces an unpleasant smell that repels woodpeckers. Natural, non-toxic sprays can be sprayed on those sides of your home, which are often frequented by the woodpecker. The nasty odor of these sprays will put-off the woodpecker. Woodpecker deterrent hole filler is a natural deterrent. It is a resin-repair system which is used to repair wood structures damaged by woodpeckers. When a woodpecker pecks any area which has been repaired by this hole-filler, it meets with an awful smell and taste, which makes it go away sooner than later.

Preventive Tactics

If the wood in your house and roofs is infested with insects, ants, Carpenter bees, Leafcutter bees, Bagworm larvae and such other pests, it will naturally attract more woodpeckers. Pest control will act as a deterrent. Painting the outer side of your home with pest-repellents like polyurethane or oil-based paints, wood putty and the like, is a prerequisite for anyone building a home in a woodpecker infested area.

Woodpeckers are persistent birds; they are not easily put-off. Just one of the above deterrents alone will not produce desired results. A combination of all of these deterrents is generally preferred. They have to be used even after the woodpeckers have moved away, to prevent their return. So go ahead, incorporate them into your homes and see how the woodpeckers make a gracious exit.