How to get rid of a woodpecker?

[sweetest]

I hear him now in the crawlspace above the second floor :

Last year at this time we had the same problem. We tried putting moth balls in the crawlspace, but when that didnt work. Dh went bird hunting :

I dont want another bird burial. But I know hes damaging my house. I havent told dh thats hes back yet, but I fear for my eaves.

HELP!!!!

[ComaWhite]

Cant you just spray him with the hose?

Or get a cat?

I hope your dh doesnt kill him....

[Meiri]

Chase him out then get those holes SEALED.

If he can get in, so can squirrels or other critters.

You can call your state's game commission for information or other suggestions.

Ask around for a trustworthy contractor who can fix where the birds are getting in.

[rainsmom]

We have trouble with woodpeckers pecking on the outside of our house.........Im not sure I understand the space he is getting in through....but they have this stuff that is used to fill up spaces. You spray it in there and its like a foam substance that gets hard. It goes in all the nooks and crannies. Im sure you could find it at any hardware store.


Good luck! Those birds are a nuisance!

[Elphaba]

I don't know where you are, but before your dh goes bird hunting you need to make certain it isn't a federally protected woodpecker. We had one in our yard, thankfully not in the house, and there was nothing we could do to get rid of him. He was a red cockaded woodpecker and they are federally protected, so to move or hurt him would have resulted in rather severe penalties. I hated him. He attacked our METAL chimney daily at 6 AM. Stupid ^%$#$*. No wonder they're endangered, they're too stupid to know not to try and drill into metal.
If it's got a nest, you're really screwed. You could look up wildlife removal in your yellow pages, or see if you have a branch of the EPA nearby.
Good luck!

[Danesmama]

Just wanted to caution you against filling up ALL of the holes in your roof. . . An attic needs to have ventilation or your wood framing will rot. (I worked as a Structural Engineer before becoming a SAHM) Maybe install chicken wire over holes that are obviously used for venhilation. . . Good luck!

[diamond lil]

Woodpeckers

The owl is the woodpecker's natural enemy. Cheap plastic owl figures are available at most large hardware stores. My mother-in-law did this to prevent woodpeckers from destroying her log home. Just mount the owl somewhere near the roof (or wherever they are pecking). It may also help to get another owl and place it in a very visible space (like a deck or patio) so that the woodpeckers can see it from above. Once she bought her two fake owls, she never heard or saw another woodpecker again.

No woodpeckers are hurt in this process and most people think the owls are part of the home's decor!

Good luck!

[sweetest]

Thanks for all of the ideas! I hadnt thought to consider of they were endangered

Our house is built on a slope and the place he is getting into is 3 stories up. It impossible to get there from a ladder becuase the ground slopes away. So dh would have to crawl in and seal up whatever space is there.

I am going to try the owl . We kept the birds out of our strawberries and grapes by using metal tape on the ends of metal stakes. It made pretty little shiny flags and kept our berries whole. I hope this works the same way!