What to do about a pesky outdoor bird?? This is not a pet bird!?
This is odd...but here goes. We have a very busy woodpecker on the outside of our house (literally)!! He seems to like the wood of the frame of our windows and is very busy pecking at it on and off all day long. From the inside of the house it sounds like morse code. Is there anything we can do to make him go away. The pecking is actually very annoying from the inside of the house. I'm a bird lover and I don't know how or why this bird started doing this. Just an odd question if anyone can give me some tips. Thanks.
General woodpecker deterrents
Obtained from http://www.wbudublin.com/Other/Pest%20Control.htm
1. Visual deterrents
Aluminum foil strips or reflective tape hung from areas where damage occurs may scare away woodpeckers. The strips should be long enough to hang freely and blow in the breeze.
Windsocks hung from house corners serve the same purpose as aluminum foil and may be less intrusive.
Handheld windmills, especially those with reflective vanes, can be attached along areas of damage. The motion of the revolving vanes may discourage woodpeckers.
2. Sound deterrents
With an electronic distress call system, a recording of a woodpecker distress call followed by the call of a predator such as a Sharp-shinned Hawk is broadcast through a speaker system at various intervals to frighten woodpeckers away from your house. One example is BirdGard, manufactured by Weitech. A movement detector that makes noise when it senses movement can be attached to damaged areas (this will also keep deer away from your garden).
3. Tactile deterrents
Although some people recommend applying sticky repellents such as Tanglefoot, Pest Control, Roost-No-More, and Bird Stop to areas where damage is occurring, we are against using them. These products can get on a bird's plumage, impairing its ability to fly and stay warm. Moreover, they can darken and stain wooden siding and cause dirt to adhere to the surface where they're applied.
4. Other Preventive Measures
To prevent damage under eaves, lightweight nylon or plastic netting can be attached from the overhanging eaves to the siding of the damaged building. To keep the birds from reaching through the net, leave at least three inches between the net and the siding. Aluminum flashing can be used to cover existing holes or to line the corner or fascia boards of the house. You can paint it to match your siding.
Setting up a suet feeder in your yard may draw the birds away from your house. Keep the feeder supplied with food throughout fall, winter, and spring when natural food is scarce and the birds are hungriest because of the cold weather. Remove the feeder, or switch to suet dough, during the hot summer months because the suet may become sticky and adhere to the bird's plumage. Suet dough melts at a higher temperature.
To dull the sound produced by drumming, place padding behind the area where the bird is drumming. Nesting or roosting woodpecker problem. As long as a nest is not already established, existing holes should be plugged with wood putty. If the birds already have eggs or young, the holes can be sealed after the nestlings have fledged, usually by midsummer. The preventive measures outlined under General Woodpecker Deterrents, can then be followed to keep the woodpecker off your house.
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