Woodpeckers on Homes…the Damage Can be Costly

by Alex A. Kecskes

Woodpeckers on homes can give homeowners an awful lot of grief. They will tap-tap night and day on aluminum siding and wood, and leave nasty little holes in fascia or trim boards, on wood beams, even stucco or brick. They'll puncture metal gutters, downspouts, chimney tops and roof vents. They can quickly disfigure board-and batten or tongue-and-groove siding, especially at the seams, leaving gaping, baseball size holes. Instinct makes them do it. The birds are simply looking for insects, nesting cavities, or ways to communicate with other woodpeckers.

There are 22 species of woodpeckers in North America, the most common being the Downey Woodpecker. Also quite ubiquitous are the Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker and the Northern Flicker. The birds are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so you can put away your BB gun, poisons or other lethal traps. Any bird control measure used to deter woodpeckers on homes must be non-lethal and humane.  Fortunately, there are a number of humane and highly effective woodpecker deterrents you can use to discourage woodpeckers from your home.

Bird Proofing for Woodpeckers

by Alex A. Kecskes

It's that time of year again.  When woodpeckers come a knocking and holes start appearing all around your home, patio, gazebo and even your wooden hot tub.

You can't really blame them. They have their reasons for turning your property into "Swiss cheese." One big reason: they're just looking for a meal. They also tap away during their mating season. Woodpeckers love to tap-tap endlessly on aluminum siding and fascia or trim boards on wood, stucco or brick. And this includes metal gutters, downspouts, chimney tops and roof vents. Time to bird proof your property.

Woodpecker roosting or nesting holes are often found in structures near wooded areas, in clapboard, board-and batten or tongue-and-groove siding made of redwood or cedar. Regrettably, woodpeckers prefer to drill holes in the seams of siding, since there's very little resistance at that juncture. It doesn't matter if the seams are vertical or horizontal, the holes will usually be quite large--baseball size on average. These holes are most often created in the late summer and fall as the birds prepare for winter. Nesting holes, on the other hand, are usually drilled out at the start of the breeding season--between late April and May.