How to Install Woodpecker Deterrents on Telephone Poles!

Keeping woodpeckers away from telephone & utility poles should be approached like any other bird control campaign. Timing is critical as woodpeckers are more apt to leave a briefly occupied site rather than an established roost. Also, keep in mind that all woodpecker scare products work best when used in combination with each other as they increase the bird’s fear and flight response to the perceived predator threat.

Pileated woodpecker on a utility pole.

The most common woodpecker species & the damage caused to utility poles

The United States is home to a variety of woodpeckers, but the most common damage-causing woodpeckers to telephone poles are: the red-bellied woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, northern flicker and the pileated woodpecker. The damage caused by these pest birds is not only unsightly, but it creates a safety hazard for the linesmen who have to climb these weakened structures. The primary cause of damage to power poles is caused when woodpeckers create a nesting or food storage cavity in the poles. The resulting damage is often so severe that utility workers cannot make needed repairs. Moreover, left unchecked, the pole will either fall down or be so deteriorated that it would be impossible to climb.

Woodpecker telephone pole deterrents and how to install them  
 
The key to successfully keeping woodpeckers off of wooden utility poles is to use a combination of woodpecker scare products and when possible, try to employ the deterrents before the pole becomes as established roosting site.  

Holographic Owl with swivel bracket on a power pole.

Woodpecker Decoy Life-Life Woodpecker Deterrent

Start by locating the area where the woodpeckers are drilling. If there is more than one location on the pole, then that will also have to be addressed. Once the woodpecker problem areas are established, mount the new Woodpecker Decoy Effigy Life-Life Woodpecker Deterrent near the nesting or drilling location(s). The Woodpecker Decoy Power Pole is a life-size double-sided image of the Pileated Woodpecker has been used successfully on power poles to warn encroaching birds that the pole is 'occupied territory'. 

Next, on the opposite site of the wooden utility pole, install a Gull-Cat Bird Scare Decoy facing downward on the pole or a Holographic Owl with Swivel Bracket. Both of these products have been proven to be highly successful at deterring woodpeckers by reflecting light emissions at the pest birds. The Swivel Bracket is used for mounting because visual bird deterrents are more effective when they are allowed to move freely in the wind and reflect sunlight at the pest birds.

If the telephone pole is an established roosting site with particularly stubborn woodpeckers, we recommend gluing or screwing on Bird Free Bird Repellent Gel or BirdFire Optical Gel pre-loaded dishes around the problem areas. The BirdFire Optical Gel dishes should be spaced about every 6 to 8 inches apart. BirdFire Optical Gel deters woodpeckers by appearing as a flame to approaching birds.

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

BirdsGottaGo.com
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