# Woodpecker Pecking House Siding and Rake Board



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Generally woodpeckers only go after wood if there are bugs in it. The exception is styrofoam, it expands/contracts and makes just enough noise for the woodpecker to think it's a bug. I don't know of any viable determent, sorry.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Owl decoy maybe?


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

There seems to be a variety of deterrents on the market and personally, I would use as many as possible. I've seen some really bad damage from large birds that went beyond $10.000 for all new cedar siding and trim. These were Pileated Woodpecker and nothing scared them away. Depending upon where you are some may remain year round. 

Bud


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Welcome to the world of carpenter bees. The bees are laying their eggs in the small holes on the underside of the wood in tunnels. Woodpeckers like to dig for the larvae, tearing up your wood in the process.

Owl decoys may work, but generally it will just move the woodpeckers to another part of the house.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

May want to send this company a message and see what they suggest.
https://bird-x.com/free-evaluation/
Most often when I see this issue as mentioned it's due to Carpenter Bees, or Carpenter Ants living in the wood and the Woodpecker is trying to get to them.
Problem is if you kill the bees the larvae is still in the hole and when the Woodpeckers comes back there going to make that wood look like it was run through a wood chipper.


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## JIMMIEM (Nov 17, 2016)

Thank You for all the advice.
I'll start by applying some insect repellant. The clapboard the bird has been concentrating on looks dry and is cupping so maybe I'll replace it and patch the edge of the rake board that has been pecked away. Then some visual deterrents.


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

Agree with others that say the woodpeckers sense that there's something there for them to eat. I you have access to the attic behind where they are pecking, check out that too. I also use a low-velocity pellet pistol to scare them away if I catch them pecking; not enough to hurt them but it will make them think twice.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Wrong time of year for this post, but in the early spring we have had 2 occasions when woodpeckers have been persistently hammering on metal, one was an old wood stove abandoned on the lot next door and the other was my 16' aluminum ladder next to the house. My conclusion was, they were calling for a mate. Each had a rhythm to their message and after a week or so they were gone. That was the only reason I could think of for those idiots to be pounding on something metal, it echoed.

Bud


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## JIMMIEM (Nov 17, 2016)

Bud9051 said:


> Wrong time of year for this post, but in the early spring we have had 2 occasions when woodpeckers have been persistently hammering on metal, one was an old wood stove abandoned on the lot next door and the other was my 16' aluminum ladder next to the house. My conclusion was, they were calling for a mate. Each had a rhythm to their message and after a week or so they were gone. That was the only reason I could think of for those idiots to be pounding on something metal, it echoed.
> 
> Bud


I'm in MA...just south of Boston, and would have thought that this would have happened in early Spring. But, it just started in the past week. I've heard them twice in the early morning. At least I've got some good weather to climb the ladder and see what I can do to remedy the situation.


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## JIMMIEM (Nov 17, 2016)

joecaption said:


> May want to send this company a message and see what they suggest.
> https://bird-x.com/free-evaluation/
> Most often when I see this issue as mentioned it's due to Carpenter Bees, or Carpenter Ants living in the wood and the Woodpecker is trying to get to them.
> Problem is if you kill the bees the larvae is still in the hole and when the Woodpeckers comes back there going to make that wood look like it was run through a wood chipper.


Thank You. I just sent an email to the company that you mentioned.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

In the oak foothill areas of California, we have a nasty little bugger called the acorn woodpecker. They are notorious for damaging homes, fence posts, power poles, etc.


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## JIMMIEM (Nov 17, 2016)

Oso954 said:


> In the oak foothill areas of California, we have a nasty little bugger called the acorn woodpecker. They are notorious for damaging homes, fence posts, power poles, etc.


What do you do to discourage them?


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

First stage is to try flash tape (Mylar strips) that shine and/or decoys of owls.

Second is to hang netting to protect the areas they are attacking.

Third is to electronic sound devices and/or attack spiders. Attack spiders are battery powered spiders that drop on a string when they hear wood pecker sounds or vibration.

Some people will reverse steps 2 and 3.

If the non-lethal methods fail, you can apply to the US Fish and Wildlife for a depredation permit. If granted for X number of birds, you shoot them with a pellet gun.

Woodpeckers are protected (all species) which is why you should have permit before lethal means are used. Last I knew it was up to $500 and/or 6 months in jail, per bird.


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## JIMMIEM (Nov 17, 2016)

Oso954 said:


> First stage is to try flash tape (Mylar strips) that shine and/or decoys of owls.
> 
> Second is to hang netting to protect the areas they are attacking.
> 
> ...


I'm in MA and I recall their being a 22 cal cartridge that contained pellets for use on birds that were attacking houses.
My problem is nowhere near as bad as the picture you posted.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

> I recall their being a 22 cal cartridge that contained pellets


It depends on your local laws. Use of a rimfire cartridge is discharging a firearm within a populated area, in many places. Also, the noise may draw unwanted attention of the bird lovers. 

I like a .177 pellet gun, spring piston with break barrel cocking. Quiet and accurate. But that's a personal choice.


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## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

For general in-city plinking with a BB/pellet gun you want to stay under the speed of sound, which is around 1125 fps. If you go over that, you get that rifle-crack that carries and alerts people. A cheap department store gun will be 700-800, and will sound more like a 'thunk', almost like a nail-gun.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

> I recall their being a 22 cal cartridge that contained pellets


You are probably referring to rat shot, kind of like a 22 caliber shot gun shell.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

What are they after, are there insects in the wood?


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Good info here;
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/wp_about/damage.html

If the woodpeckers are finding food in your siding, you will have a hard time getting the birds to leave. If you have lap siding, look for holes in bottom (underside) of the boards - carpenter bees like to enter from bottom when they can.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Sometimes woodpeckers are just an early warning system. That board needs a close inspection.


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## Mitaela Drayne (Aug 31, 2017)

This is probably done by the woodpecker. Generally, a woodpecker comes towards the hole when they wanted to get the ways out of it to make the things more clear for them. All that one can do to get rid of them is to use some termite or bug killing spray all over the wood such that if there is any bug it will be gone. Also, try to take that wood away from that place because the spray may also harm the bird.


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## JIMMIEM (Nov 17, 2016)

Based on the location of the damage the carpenter bee/bug theory seems the most likely reason. The clapboards the birds damaged were slightly cupped on the bottom. I nailed them back down. I patched the damage and re-stained the clapboards. A little damage to the bottom edge of a roof rake board. Sealed that up and repainted. No birds for the past week...hopefully the bugs are gone. I'll just have to inspect all the clapboards and make sure they are tightly nailed. The siding is in good shape......I re-stain it whenever it starts to fade.
Thank You all for your input.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

If you have carpenter bees in the siding, filling the hole will not fix it. Bees or larvae inside will tunnel out. Need proper insecticide to kill the bees/larvae. But glad to hear birds are gone. Keep your eye on it.


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## JIMMIEM (Nov 17, 2016)

SPS-1 said:


> If you have carpenter bees in the siding, filling the hole will not fix it. Bees or larvae inside will tunnel out. Need proper insecticide to kill the bees/larvae. But glad to hear birds are gone. Keep your eye on it.


I will pick up some carpenter bee insecticide. I had read that at this time of year they would be sealed in and the insecticide would not get to them to kill them. I'll get up there and give the areas a spray anyway. Thank You.


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

I priced carpenter bee poison once and it's price was outrageous. I use sevin dust which seems to be very effective. I bought a duster to 'shoot' it into their holes.


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