Woodpecker Damage Management in Low Desert Gardens

DESCRIPTION:

Woodpeckers drill into trees, giant cacti, wood surfaces and other materials to find food and to build nests in the cavities they create. They have strong, sharp beaks and a long tongue. Their sharp claws and stiff tail feathers enable them to cling to vertical surfaces.

DAMAGE:

Most woodpecker damage occurs during the period of breeding and territory establishment (February through June). Because they feed on fruits and nuts, damage to commercial fruit and nut orchards occurs, but is usually not severe. Most woodpecker complaints stem from homeowners. Woodpecker damage on homes consists of holes they peck in search of insects and for nest cavities into wood portions of homes. Damage has also been observed on synthetic roofing materials, solar panels, and elevated irrigation tubing.

Other complaints are a result of woodpeckers drumming. Drumming consists of pecking in a rapid, rhythmic succession on resonant surfaces, such as wood siding, chimney caps, and light standards. Drumming is a form of communication used to attract mates and to establish territories. Drumming generally does not cause severe damage to hard surfaces, such as metal, but there may be damage to softer surfaces such as wood. In addition to the physical damage, the noise produced by drumming can be quite annoying.

The most effective control measures for woodpeckers include exclusion and frightening.

Exclusion.
Netting and metal sheeting or hardware cloth are used for exclusion.

• Plastic bird netting with a 3/4-inch mesh can be placed completely over small trees or used to exclude birds from surfaces. To protect a surface, netting should be raised at least 3 inches from the surface to prevent damage through the mesh. Woodpeckers often peck at the top of walls near the roof eaves. Protect these areas by attaching the netting to the edge of the eave, angling it back, and attaching it to the wall below the damaged area.
• Metal sheeting or 1/4-inch hardware cloth can be secured over pecked areas to prevent further damage. The metal barrier should be painted to resemble the existing surface. Once the offending birds are gone, the holes should be permanently filled and finished so as not to attract woodpeckers in the future.

Frightening

• Visual frightening devices, such as brightly colored plastic or Mylar strips or aluminum foil, have been effective at repelling woodpeckers. Use strips about 2-3 inches wide and 3 feet long. Tie a 6-inch string to one end of a strip. Tie the other string end 2-3 feet above the damaged area so the strips hang freely. The movement of these bright, reflective strips often frightens the birds away.
• Brightly colored, reflective toy windmills can also be used. Secure the windmills at the pecking site so that the vanes will move freely with any breeze.
• Some success at repelling woodpeckers has been achieved with life-sized, freely moving hawk silhouettes or the "Scary-Eye" balloons (balloons painted with large raptor-like eyes), especially if their positions are moved frequently.
• Commercial sound repellents, such as propane cannons, can be effective, at least for short periods, in agricultural crops, but are not generally acceptable in residential areas. Repeated loud noises, such as cap pistols or banging garbage can lids, may cause the woodpecker(s) to leave for good.

Regardless of the control methods used, it is very important to implement controls as soon as possible. The longer the pecking or drumming continues at a particular site, the harder it will be to dissuade that behavior.

• Commercial frightening devices such as plastic snakes and owls are generally considered ineffective.
• Taste, odor and tactile repellents have proven to be relatively ineffective.
• No toxicants are registered for woodpeckers, as they are protected by federal and state laws.
• They can be legally killed only under permits issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the appropriate state agency (in Arizona, the Arizona Game and Fish Department). However, lethal control of woodpeckers is rarely warranted.

Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage, by Hygnstrom, S., Timm R. M., Larson, G.(1994), Lincoln: University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension, USDA_APHIS-Wildlife Services Animal Damage Control, and Great Plains Agricultural Council.

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