Learn How to Stop Woodpecker Damage & Woodpecker Problems

Woodpeckers can damage homes

Are Woodpeckers damaging your home and keeping you awake at night? If so, you are not alone. Every year woodpecker problems cost homeowners tens of thousands of dollars in damage to siding, roofs etc. Luckily there are a variety of woodpecker deterrents available that will encourage pesky woodpeckers to find a new home.

Getting rid of woodpeckers is not hard as long as you realize that pest birds have a mind of their own and your plan may need to adapt to changes in their behavior. Ideally, woodpecker problems should be solved immediately when they first show up – the longer you let them peck away at your house, the harder it will be to break their habit. Your first course of action should be to figure out the extent of the damage, where they are pecking and/or nesting, how many birds, and the direction they are coming from if possible. The woodpecker’s flight path can help you with positioning the woodpecker bird deterrents. Once you have surveyed the situation and know how many birds and where they are located, you can select the bird deterrents that best fit the situation.

Woodpecker Damage

Woodpecker Deterrent Product Selection

When deterring woodpeckers ALWAYS COMBINE taste, visual and audio deterrents. Do not try to save money by applying just one of these solutions because that will lower your chances of success. The idea is to create the feeling that there are multiple ‘threats’ in the area so the woodpecker moves on to a safer place.  With only one or two products, this ‘threat zone’ is much weaker.

After observing the behavior of the woodpeckers, spray problem areas with Woodpecker Repellant Spray. This bird repellent puts a bad taste in their mouth, kind of like pepper spray. Spray the product on and around the affected areas. You don’t need to cover the whole house, just cover the problem area and several feet of the surrounding surface.  If you happen to be painting your house, or want to be really proactive, another version of the product is the Woodpecker Paint & Stain Additive. The paint additive works the same as the spray, except it is a concentrated form that is added to paint. 

Woodpecker on siding

Visual Bird Deterrents & Placements

The purpose of visual bird deterrents is to create fear in birds by utilizing movement, reflective sunlight, bright colors, and fearful symbols. Hang these products in front of and around the affected areas. Position them so that they are out and away from the building, that way the deterrent can move freely and is better positioned to interfere with the woodpecker’s flight path and be seen often. Also hang deterrents on the corners of the house closest to the problem area to cut off flight routes. Remember your goal is to overwhelm the birds with a sense of fear and make it uncomfortable for them to remain.
 

Holographic Owl with Swivel Bracket

Popular and effective woodpecker visual deterrents include the Holographic Owl, Scare Eye Octopus with Flash Tape, Holographic Repel Strips, Scare Eye Balloons, Firefly Bird Diverters, Scare Spider, Mylar Flash Tape. All the woodpecker visual deterrents should be hung from Swivel Brackets, which makes the installation easier and more effective.

A new product on the market is the highly effective Cat Decoy Scares Birds. The Cat Decoy scares woodpeckers by its realistic features along with a moving head and tail. Mount on the side of the wall facing down towards the problem area.

Another new option for woodpecker & pest bird deterrent is Bird Free Bird Repellent Gel and BirdFire Optical Gel which affects all pest bird species by triggering multiple sensory responses. First, the material emits a UV light to make it appear as a flame to approaching birds. Stick the pre-loaded dishes near and around the woodpecker problem areas! 

 

We are happy to introduce the Woodpecker Decoy Effigy - Life-Like woodpecker Deterrent. The life-size woodpecker deterrent causes other woodpeckers to avoid the ‘occupied territory’. An incoming woodpecker will typically cue onto the life-like, moving decoy and avoid the area.

Audio Woodpecker Deterrent

Also available is the Woodpecker Distress cd, which includes various woodpecker species distress calls and predator calls, including the red-tail Hawk. Use the audio sounds when you see a lot of woodpecker activity in combination with the taste and visual products.

Save time & money with Woodpecker Deterrent Kits

If you don’t have time to research the different woodpecker deterrents, a few woodpecker kits have been created with multiple products:

Basic Woodpecker Deterrent Kit - Use this kit when woodpeckers first arrive.

Advanced Woodpecker Kit  - Use this kit for woodpeckers that have been around for a while or you have a serious woodpecker problem causing extensive damage.

NOTE: Woodpeckers are persistent and territorial. Audio / Visual Re-enforcement is recommended in addition to decoys to create a more realistic impression of predators and competition in the zone you want to protect.

For specific advice, email mark@birdsgottago.com with brief description of roosting conditions.

No single product stands alone; a combination of Bird deterrents must be used with repeated reinforcement as necessary

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