Red-bellied Woodpecker

Are woodpeckers causing you frustration? Are they drilling holes where you don't want them to?

Do No Harm

Federal law prohibits harming woodpeckers without a rarely-issued permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Deterrence is the way to go.

Here are some ways of deterring woodpeckers:

1. Remove Access

Prevent woodpeckers from physically accessing the area.

14' by 45' Protective Netting

Perhaps the best way: 3/4" bird netting. You can also try chicken wire or hardware cloth; anything from 3/4" to 1/2" will probably work. Hang the netting or cloth several inches away from a vertical surface.

Tacking aluminum or plastic sheeting over damaged areas may also work.

You usually need to keep the protection up on a semi-permanent basis until the woodpeckers change their behavior.

2. Get Rid of Insects

If your house has termites, ants, or other bugs that the woodpeckers are eating, hire an exterminator.

3. Taste and Smell

Bird Spray Repellent

It's best to use sprays and paints after discouraging woodpeckers with physical means. Repair damage, then apply the spray or paint.

Use sprays and paints in conjunction with visual or aural distractions for better effect.

Some uncorroborated rumors mention gels and resins may stick to the birds' feathers, slowly killing them over time.

4. Light, Color, and Sound

Bird-X Scare Eye Balloon

Material that moves or reflects light deter woodpeckers. Use strips of aluminum foil hung from awnings or string tacked to the house, simple mylar tape, or any of the other commercial products.

Electronic Pest Repeller

You can also buy electronic repellers that emit sounds that supposedly discourage birds, but they can be expensive.

5. Trapping and Killing

Under special circumstances, you or your local exterminator can apply to the the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a permit to trap or kill wild birds. Be prepared for a difficult process.

6. Offer Food Distractions

Hanging a suet feeder close to the damaged area, then day by day moving it farther away, may distract woodpeckers.

7. Banging and Squirting

You can just bang on an interior wall opposite where the woodpecker is drilling, or you can take a child's water gun and squirt the birds. It's likely neither method will have lasting effect.