Woodpecker Control: How To Get Rid of Woodpeckers

This page is a general Woodpecker control guide. Using the products and methods suggested you will get control of Woodpeckers. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee 100% control of Woodpeckers. Consult your local and state guidelines to see if your species of Woodpecker is a protected species in your location before applying control.

As a child, you may have thought Woodpeckers were adorable little birds with a funny laugh. However, Woodpeckers outside of the cartoon world can be rather an annoying nuisance to have on your property. If left unchecked, Woodpeckers can quickly become a problem due to their trademark of pecking holes in wood.

Woodpeckers mainly peck holes in trees, which can be irritating due to the amount of noise it creates. However, they can be especially troublesome when they begin pecking over the wood elements of your home, ruining wooden trim, and making unsightly marks. Why do Woodpeckers like to peck so much? Two reasons, either they are pecking to search for food or pecking to mark their territory.

It can be tricky to control the woodpecker, mainly because it is a protected species by the federal government and if controlled by lethal means, it would likely result in heavy fines. However, Woodpecker control is not impossible.

If your property is being invaded by annoying Woodpeckers, our easy-to-execute advice below will help you to clear out Woodpeckers from your property all by yourself. Follow our steps below and you won’t have to worry about Woodpeckers anymore.

Identification

Identification is important before carrying out a control approach for Woodpeckers. Before you can treat you need to make absolutely sure that you're dealing with Woodpeckers. Although there are many species of Woodpeckers, below we'll describe some common characteristics that set them apart from other species of birds.

• Woodpeckers range between 7 to 15 inches in size.
• They are known for their sharp and long beaks which they use to peck into wood.
• Woodpeckers vary greatly in color, but usually have red markings on their head, and most species have black and white plumage.
• Woodpeckers normally nest in the holes that they dig and their abandoned holes help other cavity-nesting birds
• They have strong claws on their feet, and backward pointed toes, which they use to support themselves while they peck.

Use the description and image above to properly identify Woodpeckers on your property. If you are not totally sure, contact us and our representatives will try to assist you with the correct identification.

Inspection

Once you have confirmed that you are dealing with Woodpeckers, you need to carry out an inspection and locate the areas that Woodpeckers are nesting or damaging with their pecking habit.

Woodpeckers can be found in woody areas that offer them with lots of trees where they can find shelter and food. They nest inside hollowed trees, in branches, or create openings with their bill. They will also be found near human structures, inside wooden posts, or near wooden structures.

When Woodpeckers arrive in a new area where trees are scarce they seek wooden structures where they can set up a nest. Unfortunately, many times this happens to be homes and commercial buildings

Where To Inspect

Most Woodpeckers are found outside so start your inspection outdoors. Inspect your rain gutters, eaves, wooden siding, soffits, and any wooded area on the roof of your foundation. Inspect your roof and search for any area where possible damage has occurred. Search your yard for any trees, branches, or wooden structures like poles, where Woodpeckers have been seen or heard.

What To Look For

You're looking for Woodpeckers, their nests, and their pecking sites. Grab a pair of binoculars and inspect their flight patterns, find out where they are nesting, where they are pecking, and where they spend most of their time. Once you have identified their nest and/or pecking sites, this is where you will apply treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed Woodpecker activity, it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels and follow the application instructions on these labels and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

The best way to get rid of Woodpeckers is a combination of exclusion measures to repel the Woodpeckers from the area and indirectly warding them away from your property by eliminating their food source—insects.

If Woodpeckers are sticking around your property, there may be plenty of insects that are providing meals for them. We recommend a broadcast treatment of Supreme IT to eliminate the food source that attracts them and then repel them from their selected nesting sites with 4 The Birds Repellent

Step 1 - Mix and Apply Supreme IT

Supreme IT Insecticide is a broad-spectrum insecticide that can treat a wide range of insects that Woodpeckers like to eat. It also has a long-time residual effect that will keep on killing long after application.

Rather than spot treating, it is best to do a full broadcast treatment over the entire lawn with Supreme IT Insecticide. Calculate the square footage of your lawn to determine how much Supreme IT you need to cover the entire area. To apply Supreme IT, simply mix water in a hand pump or hose-end sprayer then add Supreme IT at a rate of 0.5 fl. oz. per gallon to cover 1,000 sq. ft.

We recommend using a 20-gallon hose-end sprayer for the application to make broad applications to your entire lawn and so the product has enough water volume to get into the soil to reach turf insects. 

Make sure the sprayers control valve and water pump are off and then attach the hose-end sprayer nozzle to the hose. Remove the hose-end sprayer reservoir container and then add the proper amount of Supreme and the proper amount of water. Apply the solution at a rate 2 or more gallons per 1,000 sq. ft. for the product to sufficiently coat your entire lawn. Reattach the reservoir to the nozzle and turn the water to the hose on. You are now ready to spray.

Push forward on the control valve to begin spraying and evenly distribute the entire amount of product over your treatment area, keeping track of the product left in the reservoir. Use a fan spray setting to get nice uniform coverage. You should also spray any trees in your yard, bushes and other ornamentals and areas where you have noticed Woodpecker activity.

Step 2 - Outdoor Treatment with 4 The Birds Repellent

4 The Birds Liquid repellent is a sticky transparent liquid that can be painted or sprayed on outdoors surfaces on wooden structures where Woodpeckers have been pecking. It is perfect to apply in trees, branches and other areas where Woodpeckers have been pecking.

Pour 4 The Birds Repellent into a sprayer undiluted and spray trees and other nesting sites with the liquid to the point of runoff. Generally, 1 gallon of 4 The Birds is sufficient to treat an average tree with a 5-foot diameter trunk or six 3-foot high shrubs. 

Prevention

After you have conducted treatment, there should no longer be Woodpeckers on your property, but that doesn't mean they won't come back in the future. In order to obtain complete control, you need to modify your environment to make it less suitable for Woodpeckers. Start with exclusion measures. Using fine wire mesh at a 45-degree angle protect overhanging roofs, and wooden structures to prevent Woodpeckers from hanging in these structures.

To protect tree trunks and trees hardware, a cloth can be wrapped around the trees to prevent Woodpeckers from nesting or pecking. Finally, preventative treatments of your yard with Supreme IT continues indirect control of Woodpeckers who feed on yard insects.

Key Takeaways

What are Woodpeckers?

• Woodpeckers are a noisy and destructive bird known for incessantly pecking holes into trees and wooden structures.
• Woodpecker activity on a property may mean that you have an insect problem that needs to be addressed since insects are their main source of food.

How To Get Rid of Woodpeckers In The Yard

• Discourage Woodpeckers from nesting or hanging around your yard by eliminating their insect food source via a broadcast application of Supreme IT Insecticide. Mix the product with water and spray your turf, bushes and trees thoroughly.
• Scare off Woodpeckers from the area with a repellent such as 4 The Birds Liquid Repellent. Spray the product on trees, shrubs and vines where you have noticed Woodpecker activity.

Preventing Woodpecker Reinfestation

• Remember that complete control will only be obtained when you modify your environment. Wrapping around hardware cloth in beneficial trees, and installing fine mesh netting at 45-degree angles in overhanging roofs will provide greater control results.

• Reapply Supreme IT Insecticide around your yard as a preventative measure to keep the insect population down so Woodpeckers will have nothing to eat on your property.