How To Get Rid Of Woodpeckers Permanently

Woodpeckers are one of the more annoying birds to have on your property as they can cause significant damage to your home. Their tendency to peck on the wooden siding of your house leads can lead to major issues that require expensive repairs. To minimize the damage and prevent more woodpeckers from coming and causing future problems follow these tips.



Hang Shiny Materials
One method that is incredibly simple and can prove effective in certain cases is hanging up shiny materials that are reflective. Just be sure that your chosen materials will move in the wind as the movement helps scare the woodpeckers away. You can buy hanging aluminum windmills or if you don’t want to go to the store, cut aluminum foil into strips and hang this up. Just remember that this solution is frequently only temporary. The woodpeckers typically get used to motion devices in a few days, causing them to return. You can reduce this risk by moving the reflective materials to new areas.

Use Predator Decoys
Another simple choice you will find recommended on numerous websites is predator decoys. Find a plastic decoy of some common predators for woodpeckers and place these around your home. Unfortunately, like the reflective objects, the woodpeckers will get used to these within several days, requiring you to move them or get another plan as well. For the most effective results with predator decoys, hang them so they appear to move in the wind.

Rely On Motion Sensors
Yet another choice is to invest in a motion sensor that will make a noise, shine a light, or spray water when activated. This should theoretically scare the woodpeckers away, but once again, the results may only last for a few days. Even so, the best of these methods is to use a motion sensor with sound because woodpeckers are highly afraid of noises. You can either buy a motion-activated sound machine or invest in some wind chimes.

The Best Choice: Get Rid Of Food Sources
No matter where on your property the woodpeckers are, your absolute best option is to get rid of whatever food source has attracted them. Woodpeckers eat a range of insects, including termites, bees, and ants. If you get rid of these pests, the woodpeckers will likely move on and find somewhere else. You can also try swapping out the material the woodpeckers are destroying for something they can’t damage. This means changing wood siding to aluminum and replacing your wood fence with a metal one.

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