*
What is the significance of golfball-sized woodpecker holes in a house? Are the birds digging for grubs in the wood? Are they just making storage pockets for acorns? If they are chasing grubs, does this suggest stuctural damage in the wood? If the problem is just esthetic, how would one prevent more holes?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Tips for protecting your personal information when using Wi-Fi-connected devices.
Featured Video
How to Install Exterior Window TrimHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
*
I know how I'd take care of it....2-3/4", 1-1/8oz. #8 12ga. trap load.......only 25 cents! This might ruffle some feathers other than the birds though!!!
*The problem with wood trim on a house is that when the woodpeckers tap on it it sounds as though it's rotten or hollow. There may not be any bugs or rot in the wood however check to see. I'm more of the mind you should feed them with an alternative food source rather than shoot them. They love suet which is available anywhere that carries birdseed.
*Jamie,Here in Louisiana the driller bees love to lay eggs in cypress and cedar. When the eggs hatch the woodpeckers can tell and really go after them. Gotta either paint or poison to keep out the bees. I love it when the nest is under a metal roof. We have some very large woodpeckers!KK
*My experience with these birds boring/pecking/excavating a portion of the side of your home is for their home, not in search of insects. Altho' any insect that was discovered was a meal of opportunity for sure. Barn swallows did the most damage to homes/apartments in Germany that I have lived in. They would concentrate on stucco type building surfaces and one method to impede their progress was to patch over with numerous layers of chicken wire for small holes and chain link for larger holes, fill in/over with your stucco mix. Providing alternate homes for them is another solution, made out of wood or a composite resin of fiberglass and ?? (looks like grey oatmeal). Mount the homes up under any eaves, gutters, soffits, sheltered areas, etc. I have seen these birds homes even on concrete surfaces (ie-inside the baffle halls where high speed jet aircraft exhaust is channeled out of the revetment hangers). Shooting, shooing, cats, dogs and traps just make them a smarter-hardier boid. Good luck.
*Jamie, I have heard that the woodpeckers are attracted to slight vibrations under the exterior skin of the house - possibly wiring etc. They confuse these with the movement of bugs.. under bark... Millions of years go by and the woodpecker evolves to sense it's prey and WHAM here we come with romex. Anyway, I've had 'em and have good luck with a plastic owl placed strategically near the place they (usually one bird) have fixated upon. Years ago a neighbor of my dad's in Pennsylvania had to drape his beautiful barn remade into a house with a huge net to keep the woodpeckers off of one side - just destroyed the 100 yr. old hemlock siding.Others have not had good luck. Right now my neighbor is having a devil of a time with a very persistant 'pecker. He had tried the owl at my urging but now is soliciting me for my RWS pellet pistol with the laser pointer. This bird has devastated the trim on his $375K ?? tudor. I live in a golf club community that frowns upon shooting of any type - (can't say that I disagree)but you can't stand back and let the pesky varmit wreck your hacienda now can you? If at all possible (ie: legal) to discharge firearms in your locale - use a 22cal short with bird shot. Palladin
*As a woodworker and bird watcher, here's my 2 cents worth. Woodpeckers tap on a house (or a tree) for two reasons. They're searching for insects or insect larvae....usually in between the capboards. Or, the taping has to do with the mating ritual. Male woodpeckers drum to attract females and tell other males that this territory is taken (usually in March and April). You might want to check the archives since this thread has been covered before. There were some creative (if not always effective)solutions suggested. I believe that killing a woodpecker is illegal in every state. When they're going after your house you may not think so but, woodpeckers do a lot more good than harm.
*Jamie,I got a lot of good advice from a similar post back in October.I'll try putting in a link but if it doesn't work just do a search on "woodpecker" Woodpecker problem - Rick A.Rick
*I had good luck with a life sized plastic owl I bought at a farm supply store. Scared off the woodpeckers for good..
*I repaired a house that woodpeckers had damaged last summer. (3 holes) I used Bondo to fill them.
*I am having problems with my Chinese clients. They are very critical of details that get buried and now want to renegotiate change orders after they are installed.I have stopped work on the project until we come to an agreement . After talking with some of my builder friends that have worked with chinese they report they had simmilar problems.I tell my client that there must be a misunderstanding but he swears that there isnt. Any advice or comments out there?
*And I was getting more interested on the woodpeckers...is that a Chinese client?
*
What is the significance of golfball-sized woodpecker holes in a house? Are the birds digging for grubs in the wood? Are they just making storage pockets for acorns? If they are chasing grubs, does this suggest stuctural damage in the wood? If the problem is just esthetic, how would one prevent more holes?