Are woodpeckers hammering on your siding?
Learn why theyre making a racket and more importantly, how to get them to stop.
Why Do Woodpeckers Peck?
Credit:Robert Cardillo
Nuisance woodpeckers can be tricky to deter.
Understanding why they hammer is the first step in knowing what to do about it.
It involves pecking just to make sounds, explainsEmma Greigof theCornell Lab of Ornithology.
If this is the case, the pecking usually stops when mating season commences in spring.
Emma Greigis theproject leader and manager ofProject FeederWatch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
It all makes noise, unfortunately!
They also feed on wood borers,ants, grubs, and caterpillars.
If so, it will be round or irregular and fairly large.
This usually occurs in spring at the beginning of their breeding season.
If you see such a hole, evict the birds before or after nesting season and cover the hole.
Do not trap the birds inside.
Each hole is about the size of an acorn.
Aim your efforts at redirecting their focus away from your house.
Dont use sticky traps that could harm the birds.
There are several ways to approach the problem, but you may need to try more than one.
The North American Migratory Bird Act protects woodpeckers.
Like other birds, they are an important part of our ecosystem and should not be killed.
Eliminate the Insects
If the woodpeckers are feeding on insects that live in your siding,eliminate the insects.
The woodpeckers hammering might actually alert you to a problem that needs your attention.
Setting up woodpecker nesting boxes in your yard maydiscourage the birdsfrom using your house for raising their brood.
Set up your feeder close to the house at first and gradually move it further away.
Be sure to keep it filled.
While most deterrents had some effect, none of them worked all the time.
Woodpeckers dont like shiny objects, especially when they move in the wind.
Similar shiny objects have also been effective.
Be sure to seal the sides of the netting so they cant sneak through.
