da wood

[JRaymond]

Can anyone tell me of a good material to patch woodpecker holes in wood siding that is stainable? And is there a way that anyone has heard of - other than a shotgun - to keep them from continuing their ravenous destruction? Other than vinyl!

[waynesoper]

wood putty stained to match, and treat the house for bees and ants as that's what they are digging for, although sometimes they do it as a mating call in which case hanging a condom over the hole might work. HAHA

[Jim Katen]

. . . although sometimes they do it as a mating call in which case hanging a condom over the hole might work. HAHA

Hang a picture of the woodpecker's mother-in-law on the siding.

[Brandon Whitmore]

Try sticking a bunch of that mouse trap sticky stuff all over and catch them that way? You may see a bunch of woodpeckers flying around with traps stuck to their feet.

[MarkM]

I have seen many people in the StL area hang rubber or plastic snakes or owls to scare the woodpeckers away.

[Don Woodring]

Can anyone tell me of a good material to patch woodpecker holes in wood siding that is stainable? And is there a way that anyone has heard of - other than a shotgun - to keep them from continuing their ravenous destruction? Other than vinyl!

I have a painter friend who would cut out the woodpeckered areas with a hole saw, and then cut an matching circle out of a piece of scrap siding. This he would "glue" in place with clear caulk. It yields decent, but not inperceptable, results.

[Paul N Frey]

It may not be legal but a 22 short is the cleanest way to rid yourself of a woodpecker. Wife is a wildlife bioligist and she laughingly says the saying "birdbrain" didn't come from nowhere. I had a home up on Mt Hood a few years back that had 12" holes from woodpeckers. Owner was a lawyer - he took the 22 short way out and they never came back!

[mridgeelk]

22 calibre birdshot is safer and makes less noise. Also, using it in a pistol is better than a rifle.

It may not be legal but a 22 short is the cleanest way to rid yourself of a woodpecker. Wife is a wildlife bioligist and she laughingly says the saying "birdbrain" didn't come from nowhere. I had a home up on Mt Hood a few years back that had 12" holes from woodpeckers. Owner was a lawyer - he took the 22 short way out and they never came back!

[Tom Raymond]

Yeah, I had a client that used it to shoot birds IN his house.

Tom

[Denray]

My Father, who art in Utah, used many methods. He's an engineer. The one that seems to have prevailed is a large size spider that drops down about 6 ft or so when activated by the birds presence or the wind sometimes. Problem with it is that it runs on batteries that don't shut off till it goes all the way back up to the top. So, once the batteries loose power, to the point it does not reach the top, it sits there and burns battery power till the batteries leak. So, you have to be around to look for it. Can't leave property for 6 months.

Also, he found out that if he lets the magpie population be around they seem to keep the woodpeckers away.

He found the devise by searching (spider woodpecker).

[esch19]

3" 12 guage 8 shot.

Problem solved.

Assuming its a red headed woodpecker, shoot it and leave it on ground for a week then dispose of. If they are anythign like crows, they wont come near their own dead.

But seriously, shoot the sucker.

You could always break some flashing to fit the trim and sheetmetal the walls =)

[hausdok]

Hi,

I don't know how to keep 'em away. Use a plunge rounter with an inlay bit and adapter to cut out the damaged area and cut a replacement section out of a new piece of siding. An inlay bit used with a pattern will cut it so precise that a little bit of wood glue, sand it, prime and paint it and you'll never find the repair after the house is repainted.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Larry Stamp]

I recall years ago watching my neighbor trying to plug a hole from a woodpecker. He was on the very last rung of a fully extended 24 foot extention ladder nailing a license plate over the hole. Made me queasy just watching him. Some time later I commended him on finally foiling the woodpecker, but told him his tabs were expired. He didn't think it was as funny as I did.