Woodpecker and cedar siding-how to stop?

[Dick in Wisconsin]

We have painted or stained (I don't know which) cedar siding on our home. I didn't build it, I would NEVER put cedar siding on a house.

A woodpecker has taken to pecking at hole in the siding. Now the hole is getting bigger.

1. How do I get rid of the woodpecker? I presume its after bugs in the siding. Fill the hole full of RAID Wasp and Hornet killer (I just bought a few cans) to kill the bugs? Or is there a better method.

2. How do I fill the hole? Fill it with 100% silicon out of a tube? Or is there something better?

TIA!

 

[CJ7VFR]

I have cedar shakes for the siding of my house (built in 1955) and over the 8 years I have lived here I have had to deal with woodpecker damage and holes.

They normally put the holes in the siding looking for bugs as you said. I have had them also put holes in the facia boards trying to get at carpenter bees. Nothing like sitting at my desk and hearing what sounds like a jackhammer trying to bore a hole in the house!

First you have to try to get rid of whatever bugs the woodpecker is trying to get at. I will bet it is probably carpenter ants or sugar ants under the siding. The ants may only be using the siding as a way to get from one place to another, and not necessarily infesting the wood in the area. That was my issue with ants. The carpenter bees, well, they made their tunnels inside the facia boards, and the woodpeckers were trying to get them out to eat them.

I sprayed insecticide all around the foundation of my house, plus on the siding leading up to the spot where the woodpeckers were putting their holes. I also put ant baits around the foundation of my house, as well as shoving them up under the siding wherever the woodpeckers were pecking.

It took awhile, but once the ants were gone, or perhaps started to use a different route to get from point A to point B, the woodpeckers stopped pecking the house in those spots.

I filled the holes with paintable caulk, and when it started to set up a bit I used a piece of extra cedar shake that I had and used the outside grooved surface to press some grooves into the caulk so it would hide the repair better.

Then I primed and painted it to match the house. I would not use silicone because paint does not normally stick to it.

I still get a random woodpecker hammering my house, but that is usually when we forget to put out a suet in the hanging feeder. I don't know if they hammer the house to tell me hey, we're hungry damn it! Or if they hear some ants crawling up the wall. Who knows.

But be diligent in finding out if there are bugs or ants crawling up or living in the siding. Once you get rid of that, you will get rid of most of the woodpecker hammering the house.

Jim

 

[jonshonda]

I bought a house with brown cedar siding, and I did a lot of research on the subject of woodpeckers as they were having issues prior to use moving in. What I found is that woodpeckers "peck" for three reasons; food, nests, drumming. They are very territorial and like to let other peckers know the head pecker is in town. They are attracted to naturally colored objects, so I am guessing your house is a earth tone color?

With that being said, there are a few methods. First would be to hire a pro exterminator and have them spray the house. Second would be to get bird scare tape or cd's and hang it up around the house. Third would be to put out woodpecker suit. The most expensive but typically fail proof method is to paint the house a different color. I started with scare tape but it tares easily and has to be reapplied every few months. Next I am moving onto wind socks or CD's.

 

[Tejay]

I had grief with them also. They hammered away on my cedar gable vents until there was a big enough hole that starlings moved in. I hung Mylar tape from the soffit and so far so good ( after repairs )

 

[PugetDude]

1. .177 caliber pellet gun... (Or check with Wiley Coyote for one of his favorite ACME bird control products, like an anvil suspended from a balloon)

2. Drill out the damage, and use a holesaw to cut a cedar plug. Tap it in flush and glue it in place. If you're careful to match the grain, it will be almost invisible from the ground.

 

[cspcrx]

^ #1

I think all the pecking these pecker heads do scrambles their brains! I have holes in my stucco home from one. As stated above they are doing it to sound other pecker heads. I know my stucco doesn't have bugs in it.

 

[tarmy]

I painted the house from a dark brown to a light tan...mostly stopped them. A pellet gun, fake owl and some fishing netting in the eves solved the problem. Solved the bat problem the same way...

The color does matter...and seal up the holes they have made right away to dicourage nesting as well...

 

[Northislander]

Here is how i repaired two of my woodpecker holes on my cabin
And .177 is my solution for next year

 

[Jaja]

I had the same woodpecker issues for 2 seasons. My youngster now has a bb gun cause of that bird. My species was very skittish and would fly away if it saw you coming or pounded on the wall/window on the inside that it was pecking on. My siding was painted brown btw. I think they see the holes they create like a bookmark and they return to those spots looking for more bugs. After I replaced all the damaged siding by year 2 it stopped coming around.

 

[xyster101]

I have Board & Batten cedar and also have woodpeckers. Made a hole in my soffiet and lived in there. I cut out the section and put new wood there.
Don't silicon, you can't paint it. Painter's caulk and if you want it really nice, a sliver of ceder pressed into the caulk.
Spray the base of the siding for bugs. My facia had carpenter bees in it. If you see a carpenter bee hole, the tunnel goes left or right a good 20 inches. After dusting the holes, plugging them with steel wool it did little to stop them. I replaced all my facia with composite.
I painted my house from a dark brown to a grey/blue not for the peckers but it was just time to paint the house. Cost $800 and took about 5 days to do. That has seemed to keep them away.
I also picked up a pellet gun. I don't want to hurt the birds, but if they come back I will.

 

[jptbay]

Install a few fake owl decoys.

 

[bczygan]

I would love to have the sound of a woodpacker nearby.

Had one in a nearby tree a couple of years ago. Wonderful sound to wake up to.

Brings you closer to nature.

Bill

 

[pawel]

I would love to have the sound of a woodpacker nearby.

Had one in a nearby tree a couple of years ago. Wonderful sound to wake up to.

Brings you closer to nature.

Bill

Not when he causing damaged to your house.

Had the same issue last year. Sprayed holes with some bug spray and the house foundation. Did not see the woodpecker this year. Hopefully he is done...

 

[grissom]

I had grief with them also. They hammered away on my cedar gable vents until there was a big enough hole that starlings moved in. I hung Mylar tape from the soffit and so far so good ( after repairs )

This worked for me

 

[n20junkie]

I actually had really good luck with the reflective bird tape or sprial spinning chrome things. The birds and specifically woodpeckers hated them and left right away after installing. They were ruining my facia that was still raw wood.

 

[Falcon67]

I'd use the same thing we use to run off grakels - a pump b-b gun with just a couple of light pumps. Enough to throw the bb but not kill 'em. Just convince them to move elsewhere. The barn swallows that try for the porch overhangs get high pressure water.

 

[SimS]

Here in the South we have "carpenter bees". They chew/drill a perfect 3/8" hole /tunnel in the soft wood and lay their eggs. The woodpeckers see the holes and peck for their lunch. We put up bee traps to eliminate the peckers food source. It's not uncommon to have traps with dozens of dead bees during the spring/summer season. It might be worthwhile to see if you can reduce the woodpeckers food source if that is in fact the original problem.

SimS

 

[pattenp]

Install a few fake owl decoys.

They don't work. I've tried them. The reflective spinner tape works best.

 

[Dick in Wisconsin]

Thanks for the all the recommendations and suggestions. Lots of goods one to try.

Listening to a home repair show on the radio this morning (Mr. Fixit-Tom Faiza on WTMJ620AM Sat 7am to 9am CT) one of the callers called in to discuss "carpenter bees" Apparently they aren't limited to "the south".

 

[PassnThru]

Just FYI

Woodpeckers are classified as migratory, nongame birds and are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) and the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) are on the Endangered Species list and are thus offered full protection. When warranted, woodpeckers other than the endangered species can be killed but only under a permit issued by the Law Enforcement Division of the US Fish and Wildlife Service upon recommendation of USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services personnel. Generally, there must be a good case to justify issuance of a permit.

Woodpeckers are commonly protected under state laws, and in those instances a state permit may be required for measures that involve lethal control or nest destruction. Other methods of reducing woodpecker damage do not infringe upon their legal protection status. Threatened or endangered species, however, cannot be harassed.

Yeah - I know - no one will know where some of you live. I just want to point that out to people that may not be aware and have a neighbor that watches their every move.

 

[trashmanssd]

I like to use break clean on any insect and or other damage to m wood shingles. Seems to leave a flavor they dont like eating and seems to have little effect on the woods appearance.

 

[floridafarmer]

This is a company close to me that I've done some work with years ago - only products ever that stopped horses from chewing on boards for good. He started with a woodpecker deterrent for power companies.
https://sniffnstop.com/woodpecker-deterrent.html

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Just FYI, woodpeckers are protected birds. Most non-game migratory birds are. I would think twice about shooting, poisoning or trapping one without proper permits.

Tommy

 

[Paco Pena]

I tried everything, .177 was the final solution.

Paco

 

[Bigbandguy]

Thanks for the all the recommendations and suggestions. Lots of goods one to try.

Listening to a home repair show on the radio this morning (Mr. Fixit-Tom Faiza on WTMJ620AM Sat 7am to 9am CT) one of the callers called in to discuss "carpenter bees" Apparently they aren't limited to "the south".

Here in the South we make a point of exporting things that we think yankees will enjoy as much as we do. When they move north they are called "carpetbagger bees".

 

[GS-Louie]

We had a woodpecker problem when we first moved in. They pecked a hole to get inside to build a nest. I had to take off a few boards to get them out and then i filled the area with foam sealant. The painter told me that if I painted the cedar I would have no more problems We replaced a few boards that were bad and he primed and painted them I have no more problems with woodpeckers attacking the house even though I do have them in the trees around here. The gables are painted light gray.

Lou

 

[PassnThru]

Just FYI, woodpeckers are protected birds. Most non-game migratory birds are. I would think twice about shooting, poisoning or trapping one without proper permits.

Tommy

You didn't read the whole thread did you.

But it should be said again just in case.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

You didn't read the whole thread did you.

But it should be said again just in case.

I guess I missed that earlier post. I was only late by a day...

Tommy

 

[B T C]

I have woodpeckers that occasionally go to town on my direct vent fireplace's metal chimney. Sounds amazing, especially at 5am-6am.

 

[metalmagpie]

Twenty gauge shotgun.

By the way, our only hope against pine beetles is woodpeckers. So don't kill too many ...

metalmagpie

 

[starckie]

My father built a house in the mid-80's with cedar shingles, roof, and trim. Within a few years he had a pretty bad woodpecker problem. The only thing that worked consistently were the balloon 'scare eyes' under the eaves on each side of the house. The only caveats were that he had to move them around every few days or the woodpeckers would get brave (he had 8 or 9 hooks around the house that he would hang 4-5 eyes on) , and they had to be replaced every 9 months or so because they would sun fade and the 'eyes' would loose their glint. Still cheaper and easier than replacing cedar all the time.

Also, normal birds didn't seem to like them either. So if you have feeders to attract hummingbirds or whatever they may stop coming around.

This is similar to what he used, but as I recall he never had a brand preference, whatever was on sale at the time https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DAFTNEU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Herb]

Good afternoon! I have had a similar problem on the end of my garage that is sided with cedar shingles. In my case the pecker heads appear to be "drumming" only, that is to establish territory and attract a mate. The cheap and easy solution I used was to hang old cd's from a piece of wire fastened under the eaves. Worked like a charm, no more problems for 3 years now. I actually hung up six of them so that they move with any breeze.