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As cute as woodpeckers can be, you certainly don’t appreciate it when they drill away loudly against some nearby surface. At best, the sounds they make can be a rude awakening. At worst, a woodpecker can cause expensive damage to your home’s siding. Fortunately, there are things you can do to keep them away from your property.

Here are 10 effective ways to get rid of woodpeckers for good.

6

Get rid of insect infestations.

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  1. Call a pest control company to come to your property and inspect it for insects. Have them exterminate any populations of ants, termites, or other insects that woodpeckers may be feeding on. [6]
    • Even if you don’t see insects around, check your siding for insect damage. There might be insects inside the wood that woodpeckers are after.
    • Bees are another insect that woodpeckers feed on, so keep an eye out for any hives. [7]
    • If you want to try to get rid of insects yourself, buy commercial poison bait or traps and place them around your property wherever you see the insects gathering.
7

Provide different food sources.

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  1. Put up a cage-style bird feeder near where woodpeckers are attracted to on your property. Place a block of suet bird feed inside the cage to give the woodpeckers something to eat. [8]
    • Don't do this unless you deal with any insect problems first. Otherwise, you'll just be attracting more woodpeckers to the feast!
    • Woodpeckers also eat berries and fruits, so you can try planting some berry bushes or fruit trees on your property to provide an alternate food source for woodpeckers as well.
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9

Restrict access to certain areas with bird netting.

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  1. Install netting at least 3 in (7.6 cm) from whatever surface you want to keep woodpeckers off of, such as the side of your home or the trunk of a tree in your yard. Make sure you don’t leave any openings that woodpeckers could find their way into. [10]
    • For instance, hang netting from the edge of your roof down to the ground to keep woodpeckers from reaching the siding of your home.
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      Tips

      • If you have a dead tree on your property, get it cut down and removed to remove an attractive source of food and nesting.

      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • I strung a piece of twine through tin foil and hung it to area of my house the woodpecker was attracted to. He came back once, pecked once, and was gone!
      • A woodpecker was making a nesting hole in my porch column. I placed an old CD over the hole so it would be scared off by the reflective surface.
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      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To get rid of woodpeckers quickly, hang shiny objects like CDs, foil strips, or reflective tape where the birds have been pecking, since this can scare them away. You can also frighten them by placing predator figurines like hawks, owls, or eagles on your rafters. Wind chimes and other noise sources may also be effective. For a long-term solution, inspect your home for signs of insect infestation and treat the problem to eliminate the woodpeckers' food source. For more information on how to protect your home from woodpeckers, keep reading!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Esteban Velez

        Nov 5, 2016

        "The page was very helpful, I learned how to eliminate the problem without harming the cute little fellows. I have ..." more
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