How Much Wood Can a Woodpecker Peck in Oakhurst, NJ

Challenge

Based on the woodpecker damage done to this home in Oakhurst, NJ, plenty! Here, woodpeckers were making holes in the stucco columns and making a nest inside. Sometimes, we see woodpecker damage because the woodpeckers are looking for the larvae of carpenter bees that have created galleries in the wood. However, here, it seems that woodpeckers randomly chose this home to build nests and are not looking for tasty treats.

Solution

To deal with the woodpecker damage, we filled the holes with stucco mix using hardware cloth as a backing so the mix could adhere to it. The holes were successfully patched and the exterior walls looked as good as new. However, we did not want the woodpeckers to return and start their annoying pecking all over again!

To deter the woodpeckers from returning, we installed woodpecker wind spinners above each hole they had made. These spinners create an annoying flash of light that bothers the woodpeckers and “encourages” them to go elsewhere. This is the objective with all bird deterrents — to make your property inhospitable to the birds by sending them a clear message that they are not welcome here. Visual deterrents such as flashes of light can be highly effective for many types of bird infestations. These devices work exceptionally well for homeowners who find themselves dealing with woodpeckers. And if you’ve ever had woodpeckers as “guests,” their pecking can be one of the loudest, most incessant, and annoying sounds imaginable.

Also, as an FYI, woodpeckers, like many birds, are protected by the Migratory Bird Act. It is illegal to kill or trap them. Please handle bird infestations the legal, ethical way by contacting a nuisance wildlife specialist.