Woodpeckers
  • Woodpeckers aren't dangerous to humans, but they are sometimes considered a nuisance or damaging pest when they attack wooden buildings, pecking holes with their beaks in search of insects.
    • Woodpeckers are federally protected, so any prevention or woodpecker control/management is subject to compliance with federal law. Please keep this in mind when considering how to get rid of woodpeckers.
      • Also, woodpeckers like to eat bark beetles, which are one of the biggest threats to our forests.  When they're not damaging your home, woodpeckers are your friends!
    • Because woodpeckers can be very persistent and are not easily driven from selected pecking sites, any woodpecker control effort should be started as soon as the problem begins.
      • To prevent further damage to wood beneath the eaves, a professional can install plastic bird netting from the gutter angled back to the siding below the damaged area.
      • Metal sheeting like aluminum painted to match the siding can also be installed over the area being attacked.
      • Permits are required for the use of traps, so it’s advised to contact a licensed pest control professional if a woodpecker issue is suspected. A professional will ensure all woodpecker management methods of control are compliant with federal law.
      • Serious damage is more likely to occur to summer or vacation homes that are often vacant, since the attack can persist for long periods of time before being discovered.
    • Some birdwatchers like to attract woodpeckers to their neighborhoods; for the sake of the birds, your neighbors' homes, and the forest itself, please don't!  If you want to see woodpeckers, it's best to seek them out in the woods, in their natural habitat.

Show All Answers

1. Bears
2. Cougars/Mountain Lions
3. Coyotes
4. Elk
5. Javelina/Peccary
6. Raccoons
7. Rodents
8. Skunks
9. Snakes
10. Spiders
11. Ticks
12. Woodpeckers