How to Get Rid of Woodpeckers
Examine your home for signs of insect infestation., Place a suet woodpecker feeder near the outside of your home., Plant fruit trees and berry bushes.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Examine your home for signs of insect infestation.
If woodpeckers repeatedly drum on your home, chances are they're doing so for good reason.
Your home may be harboring an insect population, such as bees, ants, or termites, and providing an inviting atmosphere for woodpeckers.
Taking action to remove the food your home is providing is the first step to getting rid of woodpeckers.
Go to your attic or the area of your house closest to where the woodpecker has been pecking.
Look for dead insects lying on the windowsills and in corners.
Check for bees' nests in the rafters.
Look for loose, rotting wood both inside and outside the house.
These are all signs of an insect infestation.
If you see signs of an insect infestation, take measures to get it treated right away.
Use a natural method to get rid of the insects or call an exterminator to take care of the problem. -
Step 2: Place a suet woodpecker feeder near the outside of your home.
Woodpeckers like to feed on suet, which is made from the fat of a cow and is available for purchase at wild bird or pet stores.
Hang the feeder well away from the ground so the suet doesn't get eaten by other creatures. /images/thumb/8/81/Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-2-Version-3.jpg/v4-550px-Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-2-Version-3.jpg /images/thumb/8/81/Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-2-Version-3.jpg/v4-300px-Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-2-Version-3.jpg Place the feeder close to the place on your home where the woodpeckers tend to drum.
They'll notice the suet and start feeding there instead.
Gradually move the feeder away from your home, a few feet each day, until it's well away from your house.
Hopefully you will have trained the woodpeckers to feed on the suet, rather than drumming on your house.
Suet can melt in hot weather and coat birds' wings, damaging their plumage.
Don't use suet during the hottest days of summer.
Keep the suet available throughout the fall, winter and spring months, when food is most scarce. , Woodpeckers are attracted to sweet fruits, so strategically planting fruit trees and berry bushes around the perimeter of your yard, rather than close to your house, might attract them away from your home.
On the flip side, make sure no fruit or berry bushes are planted too close to your house. /images/thumb/0/03/Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-3-Version-3.jpg/v4-550px-Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-3-Version-3.jpg /images/thumb/0/03/Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-3-Version-3.jpg/v4-300px-Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-3-Version-3.jpg -
Step 3: Plant fruit trees and berry bushes.
Detailed Guide
If woodpeckers repeatedly drum on your home, chances are they're doing so for good reason.
Your home may be harboring an insect population, such as bees, ants, or termites, and providing an inviting atmosphere for woodpeckers.
Taking action to remove the food your home is providing is the first step to getting rid of woodpeckers.
Go to your attic or the area of your house closest to where the woodpecker has been pecking.
Look for dead insects lying on the windowsills and in corners.
Check for bees' nests in the rafters.
Look for loose, rotting wood both inside and outside the house.
These are all signs of an insect infestation.
If you see signs of an insect infestation, take measures to get it treated right away.
Use a natural method to get rid of the insects or call an exterminator to take care of the problem.
Woodpeckers like to feed on suet, which is made from the fat of a cow and is available for purchase at wild bird or pet stores.
Hang the feeder well away from the ground so the suet doesn't get eaten by other creatures. /images/thumb/8/81/Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-2-Version-3.jpg/v4-550px-Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-2-Version-3.jpg /images/thumb/8/81/Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-2-Version-3.jpg/v4-300px-Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-2-Version-3.jpg Place the feeder close to the place on your home where the woodpeckers tend to drum.
They'll notice the suet and start feeding there instead.
Gradually move the feeder away from your home, a few feet each day, until it's well away from your house.
Hopefully you will have trained the woodpeckers to feed on the suet, rather than drumming on your house.
Suet can melt in hot weather and coat birds' wings, damaging their plumage.
Don't use suet during the hottest days of summer.
Keep the suet available throughout the fall, winter and spring months, when food is most scarce. , Woodpeckers are attracted to sweet fruits, so strategically planting fruit trees and berry bushes around the perimeter of your yard, rather than close to your house, might attract them away from your home.
On the flip side, make sure no fruit or berry bushes are planted too close to your house. /images/thumb/0/03/Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-3-Version-3.jpg/v4-550px-Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-3-Version-3.jpg /images/thumb/0/03/Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-3-Version-3.jpg/v4-300px-Get-Rid-of-Woodpeckers-Step-3-Version-3.jpg
About the Author
Richard Wilson
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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