Woodpeckers use their sharp beaks to tap the hollow of trees, then stick their long, barbed tongues inside to look for some insects. Woodpeckers also beat with their beaks to define their territory and to find a partner. If a woodpecker sees your home as its territory, it can cause external damage and annoy you with its beating. Learn how to keep spikes away from your home and property.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Change the Woodpeckers' Food Sources
Step 1. Check your home for signs of insect infestation
If woodpeckers hammer on your home repeatedly, they probably have a good reason. Your home may be filling up with insects, such as bees, ants, or termites, creating a welcoming environment for woodpeckers. Taking action to get their food out of your home is the first step in getting rid of spikes.
- Go to the attic or the area of your home where the woodpecker is pecking. Look for dead insects found on windowsills and in corners. Check for bees' nests on the rafters. Look for crumbling or rotting wood both inside and outside the house. These are all signs of an insect infestation.
- If you see signs of an infestation, take steps to treat it right away. Use a natural method of killing bugs or call an exterminator to fix the problem.
Step 2. Place a suet feeder near the exit of your house
Woodpeckers feed on lard, a product made from cow fat that you can buy at pet stores. Hang the feeding trough high away from the ground so that the fat is not eaten by other animals.
- Place the feeder near the area where the woodpeckers tend to beat. They will notice the lard and start eating it.
- Gradually move the lard away from home, a few meters each day, until it is away from your home. With the hope that woodpeckers get used to feeding on fat, rather than beating on your home.
- The suet can melt in the heat and could cover the birds' wings, damaging their plumage. Do not use lard on the hottest days of summer.
- Keep suet available during the fall, winter, and spring months when food is scarce.
Step 3. Plant fruit trees and berry bushes
Woodpeckers are attracted to sweet fruit, so strategically planting fruit trees and berry bushes around the perimeter of your garden, rather than near the house, may keep them away. On the other hand, make sure that no trees or bushes are planted too close to your home.
Method 2 of 3: Using Peak Deterrents
Step 1. Use visual deterrents
Woodpeckers are easily frightened by the sight of predators, shiny materials and anything out of the ordinary, especially if it moves. Try putting the following visual deterrents on your home, in the area where spikes cause damage.
- Hang aluminum plates, foil strips, or reflective tape on the house. The pieces of aluminum should be long enough to dangle and move with the wind, so the spikes are scared from afar. To protect yourself from spikes, you can also attach reflective aluminum to the house, using nails, which you can find in hardware stores.
- Hang pieces of string or colored string in the areas where you put the spikes.
- Place the figurine of a hawk, owl or eagle on the rafters near where you saw the woodpecker.
- Hang a flag or decoration near the woodpecker area for a more visible solution. A windsock or pinwheel that moves fast when the wind blows works well for scaring off spikes from afar.
Step 2. Keep peaks away with noise
They get scared at the sound of their predators and other unfamiliar noises. Install one of the following sound deterrents in the area where the woodpecker is drumming in your home.
- Buy an ultrasound recording of a woodpecker in distress, with the sounds of predators, and put it in the attic window or somewhere near the roof. Program the device to turn on periodically, day and night, to keep peaks away. More expensive sound systems can be programmed to make the predator sound when a woodpecker approaches.
- Put several wind chimes on your home and around. The noise of these chimes can discourage woodpeckers from visiting you.
Method 3 of 3: Keep Your Home Safe
Step 1. Repair holes in the house to discourage spikes
The more a woodpecker makes holes in your home, the more it will be attracted to the area. In addition, insects can enter holes and infest your home, aggravating the problem.
- Use putty to fill in the woodpecker holes as soon as you see them.
- Paint the grout when it dries with polyurethane or oil-based paints, which deter insects from using your home as a nesting base. Fewer insects mean fewer spikes.
Step 2. Protect your home from further damage
Install a protective coat, plastic net, or bird netting in damaged areas of your home. This will allow you to avoid further damage.
Step 3. Call the association for the protection of animals or the LIPU
They protect birds and can professionally capture woodpeckers safely and release them in a better place.
