How to get rid of Woodpeckers (The Bird)

[Kim-n-Dean]

...not Matty's willie.

I had a massive squirrel problem, but after cutting down all the trees next to my house and buying a 1,000fps pellet gun, I have no problem. So, we put a new roof on and all was great!

Now, I have Woodpeckers tappin' out Morse Code like it's WWI on the metal cap on my chimney every morning starting around 5:30a.m.

Any suggestions, besides the pellet gun?

[MetaLord 9]

Plastic Owl on the roof to act like a scarecrow?

Or just flypaper the entire roof. Yeah you'll have to clean it later, but the best revenge is messy.

[salsashark]

So it's your fault the squirrels are back at my house!!! you son of a...

[Kim-n-Dean]

Plastic Owl on the roof to act like a scarecrow?

Or just flypaper the entire roof. Yeah you'll have to clean it later, but the best revenge is messy.A friend has tried that method and birds land on the plastic Owl and hang out.

[MetaLord 9]

land mines?

[Devaclis]

We have had a tough time getting rid of them in the past. Honestly the ONLY method that has ever worked is patience and a pellet gun. Nothing else has worked.

[MetaLord 9]

Leave the dead woodpeckers on the roof as a warning to others

[Kim-n-Dean]

We have had a tough time getting rid of them in the past. Honestly the ONLY method that has ever worked is patience and a pellet gun. Nothing else has worked.
I hate to shoot 'em. They're a beautiful bird, but my sanity is quickly fading!!

It was cool watching them build the hole in my tree a few years back. Now, every year, they grow in population. There's a herd of them now.

[InlineSIX24]

Some of those sonic repellant boxes work, but not sure if it would have any issues w/ dogs/other animals.

[salsashark]

Not to be the hippy freak, but because this is on a public forum and who knows who's watching...

You want to be careful specifically with woodpeckers because several species in Colorado are endangered. Killing them is as Rossi would put it "bedy bedy bad"

Anyways, back when I was a property manager we had huge bird problems over in Ken Caryl. We ended up baiting the birds with what I thought was called sick corn... but I can't find it on a google search. Anyways, there are non lethal foods that you put out, the birds eat them, get sick, and go away. You may want to look into these.

[bulldog]

Damn just read they are pretected species and you can get a $500 fine if killed. Plus I guess having woodpeckers is a sign you may have bad bugs in your wood and the solution is to try to get rid of those first; therefore giving the woodpecker no reason to peck.

This site shows some ways to get rid of them

http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-woodpeckers.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_2020946_rid-woodpecker.html

http://forum.doityourself.com/archive/index.php/t-53504.html

[OUTLAWD]

you could simply embrace the sounds of nature...and now you can get rid of your alarm clock

From a couple sources:

It’s important to note that there are over 200 species of woodpeckers in North America, and all are protected by federal law. Shooting or harming them is forbidden, and trapping is discouraged and usually not successful.

-----------------------

I had woodpeckers drilling on my gutters. I bought a large tub of petroleum jelly and applied it with a rag taped to a long pole. You can't see the jelly and the woodpeckers have not come back.


I had the pleasure of waking up this morning to that lovely sound as well, I'll wait and see how bad it gets

[Zach929rr]

So go out and buy an airsoft gun in the 400fps area and dont worry about killing them.

[Kim-n-Dean]

Not to be the hippy freak, but because this is on a public forum and who knows who's watching...

You want to be careful specifically with woodpeckers because several species in Colorado are endangered. Killing them is as Rossi would put it "bedy bedy bad"I thought about that, but since I'm not shooting them, I wasn't worried about it.

[McVaaahhh]

The pecker is just trying to get a piece. Right now they're banging on things trying to attract mates. I had the same problem with them banging away on one of the vents on my roof. I got rid of them by building a small "cage" made out of chicken wire around the top of the vent. He can't get to it any longer, so he's moved on to annoy another neighbor. :)

[Kim-n-Dean]

Damn just read they are pretected species and you can get a $500 fine if killed. Plus I guess having woodpeckers is a sign you may have bad bugs in your wood and the solution is to try to get rid of those first; therefore giving the woodpecker no reason to peck.

This site shows some ways to get rid of them

http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-woodpeckers.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_2020946_rid-woodpecker.html

http://forum.doityourself.com/archive/index.php/t-53504.htmlThe pecking they do on my chimney is signaling for a mate. They're not feeding on my house. They're beating on the metal. No bugs there.

I'll check those sites out...

[Kim-n-Dean]

I got rid of them by building a small "cage" made out of chicken wire around the top of the vent. He can't get to it any longer, so he's moved on to annoy another neighbor. :)I thought about that, too. Perhaps I'm building a cage today.

[Kim-n-Dean]

Some of those sonic repellant boxes work, but not sure if it would have any issues w/ dogs/other animals.I used one of those for the squirrels and they chewed through the wire to shut it off. Smart little bastards!!

[dapper]

I thought about that, too. Perhaps I'm building a cage today.
Yeah, chicken wire around metal.

Wind socks are the deterrent for birds.
Lowes on Buckley/Quincy has the flag wind sock on clearance...two weeks ago.

[Mac020]

Tape a plastic bag to the chimney so it blows around in the wind. I've used this method several times and it works!

[~Barn~]

Have Big Bill... er.... Wally Walrus come over and get rid of them.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/40/Beachnutboardwalk.jpg

[InlineSIX24]

I used one of those for the squirrels and they chewed through the wire to shut it off. Smart little bastards!!

They are bastards. The ones at my place chewed the bark all the way around the aspen trees and killed them. Now I have to find squirrel-proof trees.

[BlueDog]

What we did, if I remember correctly, was take the tops that had been cut off of tin cans, punch a hole in the outer edge, and hang them with string in the problem areas. The flashing when it caught the light and spinning from wind scared them away.

[salsashark]

They are bastards. The ones at my place chewed the bark all the way around the aspen trees and killed them. Now I have to find squirrel-proof trees.

While I was out of town last week, I had a squirrel decide to rip a hole in the side of my house to get back into the soffet that I closed up last summer... chewed through metal and all :scream1:

Time to bust out the pepper spray and evict the little bastard!

[(( LO LO ))]

Heck, the woodpeckers over here in Tucson AZ are on steroids! They make holes in the stucco of the houses. Our house is starting to look like it got fragged by a grenade...

[daemon]

get up earlier in the morning!!!

just a suggestion.
plus one on the air soft pellets

[Fugayzin]

A 30 ought 6 (.30-60) rifle should suffice. Shell is probably bigger than the woodpecker. :lol:

[Jim_Vess]

We used a paintball gun to get rid of them. It worked great and was fun as hell.

You don't have to actually hit them with the paint ball, just hit close enough that the paint splatter gets on them. They hate it and go somewhere else.

[King Nothing]

There is only one place the the woodpeckers pound on our house. It is right next to a window so I open the blinds and the cats sit right there. No more bird issues.

[Tipys]

While I was out of town last week, I had a squirrel decide to rip a hole in the side of my house to get back into the soffet that I closed up last summer... chewed through metal and all :scream1:

Time to bust out the pepper spray and evict the little bastard!


pour bleach on the new board when you put it up and that will stop them from wanting to chew throw it.

[Sparker]

you might look into thoes spike strips that people put on buildings to keep the pigeons from landing on the ledge and crapping everywhere.

[Pandora-11]

OK ok..I've been up for an hour....the woodpecker is doing a number on the soffits. Neither of my cats is stepping up to the plate. Thinking about what I'm going to do....I won't be going back to sleep soooooo....make waffles!

[Drift]

OK ok..I've been up for an hour....the woodpecker is doing a number on the soffits. Neither of my cats is stepping up to the plate. Thinking about what I'm going to do....I won't be going back to sleep soooooo....make waffles!

Mmmm...waffles are good!:drool:

[Wintermute]

I used one of those for the squirrels and they chewed through the wire to shut it off. Smart little bastards!!

http://www.break.com/usercontent/2007/8/squirrel-obstacle-course-357503.html

[dirkterrell]

Speaking of woodpeckers

http://www.boulder.swri.edu/%7Eterrell/images/woodpecker.jpg

Dirk

[Sean]

Dirk,
You have some strange pics on your computer.

[Horsman]

You need DA Ruf-Kittahs!!!! My Neighbor has a big Kittah that walks around on all of roofs....

http://www.justcatssanctuary.org/Cat%20Tales/feral%20on%20roof.JPG

[Skinbabe]

Some good suggestions, we have one in our back yard. He always starts in at the ass crack. Just be warned that woodpeckers come in pairs. They mate for life (according to animal control) I knew this guy once that got one with the bb gun and killed it, its mate tormented him for life lol

[Pandora-11]

You need DA Ruf-Kittahs!!!! My Neighbor has a big Kittah that walks around on all of roofs....

http://www.justcatssanctuary.org/Cat%20Tales/feral%20on%20roof.JPG


These are my two unhelpful kittehs. The orange one drags in mice and voles through the dog door. The white one talks nonstop about things he wants. One cat was recruited off of death row...the other was a walk-on.

[Horsman]

Some good suggestions, we have one in our back yard. He always starts in at the ass crack. Just be warned that woodpeckers come in pairs. They mate for life (according to animal control) I knew this guy once that got one with the bb gun and killed it, its mate tormented him for life lol
Vengeful little Phuckers..

Bring out the Birds!!!!
Get a Couple of Cooper's Hawks and let them go to town!!!
http://www.lloydspitalnik.com/d/796-4/coopers_hawk_F5R6460.jpg

[Kim-n-Dean]

Vengeful little Phuckers..

Bring out the Birds!!!!
Get a Couple of Cooper's Hawks and let them go to town!!!This all started a few years ago. We're up to six Woodpeckers now.

We have Hawks too, but the other birds don't seem to care.

I'm going to plug the hole in the tree this fall and see what happens when they come back in the spring. They'll probably start eating my house...

I almost started shooting them 'til I found out it's a $500 per bird fine.

[IT WASN'T ME!]

I read a while back that woodpeckers actually make those holes to let in those bad bugs then they come back later and suck the bugs out of those very same holes. Sort of like ranching.

[Kim-n-Dean]

Well, the tree with the woodpeckers got blown over last week in that wind storm we had. I guess I'll have to wait 'til next year to see if they come back and try to build another home.

The tree landed on my fence, too. Fortunately, it's a chain link and it only took out the top bar. The bright side is, we gots plenty o' fire wood now.