There is no doubt that the woodpecker is a fascinating bird – they are a native species and, on balance, an asset to our environment.

The woodpecker is particularly well-known for its namesake – its remarkable ability to relentlessly peck at wood for food and communication. In its natural habitat, the pecking is not a problem. Still, when the bird begins to encroach on a house or the human environment, it creates several issues, including noise and property damage. This inconvenience is the main reason a person, or persons, may wish to remove a woodpecker from their property.

Here we will look at ways to identify if a woodpecker is damaging your property; and how to safely and humanely remove a woodpecker from a property, including underlying issues, prevention, and deterrents. To understand these techniques better, we will also look at the woodpeckers’ behaviors and why humane removal is an option.

Woodpecker Behavior – why do they peck and when?
Woodpeckers are, primarily, a forest-dwelling bird. They find their food and mates in this environment. As a result, they evolved a sharp, strong beak to peck the hardwood where they live for several reasons:

Finding a mate – woodpeckers will ‘drum’ rhythmically to attract a mate leading up to the mating season, around April and May.

Claiming territory – they will also drum to communicate to potential rivals that this is their territory.

Nesting – woodpeckers create nests by making holes in which to live in the pre-mating season around April and May. They may also excavate again for warmer nests in the fall.

Hunting food – they will peck into woods to find the insects they survive on, all year round.

A woodpecker may find a wooden home, buildings, telegraph poles, or other human-made structures enticing as a result of their behavioral traits.

How to Identify Woodpecker Damage

The first thing you should do is listen for the distinct, rhythmic drumming of the woodpecker.

An external inspection will reveal woodpecker damage: small holes mean food foraging, storage, or communication,large holes indicate nesting.

Why Humanely Remove them?
Humane removal is an option, and there are three main reasons for doing so.

Excessive property damage – a woodpecker will cause damage to a wooden structure if left unchecked. This damage can be costly, but also potentially cause structural issues – holes can weaken parts of a house, let the elements in or invite pests in.

Noise pollution – the woodpecker creates a loud noise that can be irritating, loud, and incessant, as they can peck up to 12,000 times a day.

Protected species – as a wild bird, it is a federal offense to kill a woodpecker without a permit. They are also beneficial to the ecosystem. Fortunately, there are many methods of humane removal.

How to humanely get rid of woodpeckers
There are many ways to remove woodpeckers from your property, and they range from prevention to deterrents to pest control methods. Most often, a combination of treatments is needed.

Prevention
Knowing when to expect woodpeckers can help when you are considering prevention as an effective treatment method. There is a good reason why there is the saying ‘prevention is better than cure – ‘ if you can prevent the problem, you will avoid any damage and costs in the future.

Here are some effective prevention 
methods.

Exterminate pests like termites and ants – go for the food source. Your house may have an underlying infestation of a pest that woodpeckers like to eat, like termites. No food, no woodpecker.

Shore up holes – ensuring any likely places a woodpecker might get to are fixed up will help. Use wood putty as a suggestion.

Hardware cloth/bird netting – cladding affected areas will keep the woodpeckers out. The downside is this may look a bit unsightly on your home.

Remove dead trees – taking out dead trees close to your property will prevent animals from gathering that woodpeckers traditionally like to eat, i.e. bugs and insects.

Bird spikes – placing these on the house or property will prevent perching places for woodpeckers and other birds.

Deterrents
You may also want to combine some deterrent methods to scare off an existing woodpecker issue. Here are some suggestions.

Visual deterrents
Scarecrows – it’s a tried and tested method and works to scare birds away. Fake predatory bird statues – again, like the scarecrow, a bird cannot tell the difference
between a real predatory bird and a fake one.

Reflective tape/streamers – bright colored tape, silver reflective tape, and moving, flowing objects all combine to scare off woodpeckers, though, again, this may be
unsightly.

Lighter colors – studies have indicated, but are not proven, that lighter-colored siding or aluminum is less likely to be pecked.

Audible deterrents
Ultrasonic sound devices – specialized high frequency-emitting sound devices will deter birds, who can pick up the noises a human ear cannot.

Animal call sounds – perhaps a little less practical if neighbors surround you, but predatory animal call soundtracks can act as a deterrent.

Pest control
Chemical repellent – there are certain paints you can purchase that are laced with a chemical that is unappealing to woodpeckers.

Professional service – a specialist may be better able to conduct a more strategic, time-saving, and cost-effective method than you might be able to achieve alone.

Alternative food sources/nesting homes
Creating a birdhouse may offer a pleasant distraction and an alternative home for a nesting woodpecker. You may also consider leaving food that woodpeckers enjoy close to, but away from your home or property you wish to protect – woodpeckers don’t just eat insects and bugs, but also nuts and seeds.

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, no one method will solve a woodpecker issue, or get rid of them, but a combination of techniques may help. If a persistent problem exists, you may need to consider contacting a professional to come and address getting rid of the woodpeckers. Also remember that unless you have a permit, it is a federal offense to kill woodpeckers, so please attempt to rid them humanely – they are of benefit to our ecosystem, even if they can be destructive and noisy.