Dealing with Woodpeckers in Flagstaff | Mammoth Pest Control

Woodpeckers are classified as migratory, nongame birds and are protected by state and federal law. This means that you cannot harm these animals when they’re redecorating the siding on your house. However, there are some steps homeowners can take to mitigate the damage without harming them. Read on for some tips about how deal with them.

Identify the Damage Caused by Woodpeckers

The first step in dealing with woodpeckers is to identify the damage they are causing. In some cases, woodpecker damage may not be immediately visible but becomes apparent over time as the wood begins to rot or weaken due to the birds’ pecking and hammering. Common signs of woodpecker damage include large holes or chunks missing from exterior walls and trim boards, broken windows or damaged rain gutters, and deep grooves in wooden surfaces caused by repeated pecking.

Eliminate Attractive Food Sources

Woodpeckers feed mainly on insects, so eliminating attractive food sources is one way to keep them away from your property. This can be done by regularly mowing the lawn and removing dead trees or branches from your yard that could provide insects for the birds to feast upon. Trimming back shrubbery will also help reduce potential nesting sites for woodpeckers. Additionally, keep bird feeders away from areas where woodpeckers congregate, as this will only attract more birds to your property and make it more difficult for you to control their presence. Sometimes, however, the food is inside the walls causing their own damage. Sometimes carpenter ants can burrow through the walls, and the only one who knows they are there is the woodpecker slamming his face into the side of your house. Double trouble…

Use Deterrents

If eliminating food sources isn’t enough, there are a number of deterrents available that can be used to keep woodpeckers away from your property including scare-tape (which is designed specifically for keeping woodpeckers away), plastic owls or hawks placed near entry points, reflective surfaces like mirrors or aluminum foil hung near windows where the birds may attempt to enter, and sound machines that emit a high-pitched noise when triggered by motion sensors that detect movement near entry points.

Conclusion

Dealing with woodpecker damage around your home in Flagstaff doesn’t have to be a daunting task—there are plenty of ways to deter these pesky birds from entering your space! Start by identifying any existing damage they may have already caused, then take steps such as eliminating food sources and using deterrents like scare-tape, fake owls/hawks/hawks, reflective surfaces like mirrors or foil tape hung near windows, and sound machines triggered by motion sensors near entry points if necessary. When in doubt call the professionals at Mammoth Pest Control.

Article by Ryan Kanaley