Woodpeckers are 17 to 40 cm (7 to 15 inches) long, have short legs, sharp-clawed toes and stiff tails. Most woodpeckers feed on wood-boring insects, insects on trees and the ground, vegetable matter, berries or tree sap. The northern flicker (Colaptes auratus) is responsible for most woodpecker damage to homes in the Northeast. It is identified in flight by a yellow or salmon tint under the wings and tail feathers. Flickers have black spots on a tannish-white breast and belly. Males have a black or red mustache extending from the gape of the beak to below the eyes. The hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus) and downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) also occasionally cause problems.

Damage:

Woodpeckers hammer on the sides of houses and other buildings to attract mates, to establish and/or defend a territory, to excavate nesting or roosting sites, and to search for insects. Wooden shingles, cedar or redwood siding, metal or plastic guttering, television antennas and light posts are selected as drumming sites because these materials produce loud sounds. Woodpeckers frequently damage cedar, rough pine and redwood siding and some synthetic stucco exterior finishing. Plywood and Masonite are less frequently damaged.

Control:

Woodpecker damage can be prevented or eliminated with several techniques including visual repellents, loud noises, exclusion and alternate construction materials. It is important to take immediate action to reduce damage, as woodpeckers are not easily driven from their territories or pecking sites once they have become established.

- Large holes serve as visual attractants to woodpeckers and should be promptly repaired. Cover the holes with aluminum flashing, tin can tops or metal sheathing, and paint them to match the siding. If damage occurs near areas that provide perch sites, eliminate these sites with metal flashing or other materials. If a single board on the house is serving as a toe hold, heavy fishing line or stainless steel wire can be tightly stretched approximately 2 inches outward across the landing site.

- Hawk silhouette mobiles and 18 cm (7-1/2 inch) diameter shaving or cosmetic mirrors that enlarge the image seem to be successful frightening devices. Hawk mobiles with a wing span of about 55 cm (22 inches) and a length of 27 cm (11 inches) can be constructed from cardboard, half-inch Styrofoam or quarter-inch plywood. Paint the mobiles black or another dark color. Hang two hawk mobiles from the eaves near the damaged area with heavy fishing line. On each side of the house where damage occurs, one or two shaving mirrors attached flat to the wood with the enlarging lens outward will frighten woodpeckers. Alternatively, try placing black plastic strips (cut from 4- or 6-mil plastic), 25 to 40 mm (1 to 1-1/2 inches) wide and approximately 3/4 m (2 to 3 feet) long, pinwheels with reflective vanes, or aluminum pie tins (preferably 30 cm (12 inches) in diameter) near the damaged area to frighten woodpeckers. Allow the wind to blow the strips, pinwheels and pie tins freely. Owl effigies generally are unsuccessful for frightening woodpeckers. Where woodpeckers are persistent, use two or more of the above frightening devices simultaneously.

- Some woodpeckers are frightened away with persistent loud noises such as banging pots and pans together, firing toy cap guns or yelling. Other woodpeckers are discouraged by deadening the sound-producing area by filling the hollow space behind the wood.

- Woodpeckers can be kept from under eaves by attaching hardware cloth or plastic netting to the eaves, angling it back to the siding below the damaged area, and fastening it securely. Alternately, fasten the netting under the eaves, stretch down the side of the house 7.5 cm (3 inches) from the siding, and securely attach close to the ground.

- Woodpeckers occasionally damage houses to obtain insects in the wood. Insecticides or wood preservatives may deter woodpeckers by killing the insects.

- Few chemicals that have objectionable tastes and odors are effective for repelling woodpeckers and none are currently registered for that use. Sticky bird repellents (Tanglefoot® or Roost-No-More®) applied to siding and other areas may discourage woodpeckers because they create a tacky footing. However, some of the sticky bird repellents stain wood in hot weather. Test repellents on a small, out-of-sight area before applying extensively.

- All North American woodpeckers are primarily cavity nesters which excavate their own cavities, but some species occasionally use existing cavities or nest boxes. Placing cavity-type nest boxes on buildings in the vicinity of northern flicker damage has shown some success. Nest boxes are worth trying where other methods have failed. Nesting woodpeckers defend their territories and keep other woodpeckers away. Construct nest boxes from wood with a 6.5 cm (2 1/2-inch) diameter entrance hole 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 inches) above the floor. Inside dimensions should be about 15 x 15 cm (6 x 6 inches), and the total height should be between 56 and 65 cm (22 to 26 inches). A front-sloping, hinged roof will shed rain and provide easy access. Fill the box with sawdust to entice the bird to remove the sawdust to the desired level. By removing the sawdust, the bird is fooled into constructing its own nest.

Adapted from the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, 1999