How To Deter Woodpeckers

Q: We are dealing with a woodpecker issue. Our house is a split level with wood siding. The birds peck holes in the siding. We have tried patching the holes, hanging spinning light fixtures, banging on the walls when they peck, and even placing fake owls nearby. All of these were unsuccessful. Between the bird noise and our 16-month-old, we are not getting much sleep. 

A: Good news! Your child will grow up to be a wonderful human being because of the extra time you’ve spent with them between bird visits. The pecking might be caused by male birds trying to mark territory and find a mate. Other times the pecking can occur if you have carpenter bee larvae in the wood. Check the edges of each siding board for half-inch round holes. If you find them, fill with wood putty. If the pecking is the result of “swiping right” on Woodpecker Tinder, it commonly stops in a few weeks. In the mean time, two of my Master Gardeners reported bird deterrence success with a spider toy that drops down on a string when it detects drumming and then pulls itself back up while waving its legs and flashing its eyes.