How to Get rid of Woodpeckers | Top 9 Best Woodpecker Repellents
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds that are useful for trees as they feed on the parasites present there. However, they are a true disaster for most man-made structures as they can cause severe damage to the infrastructure by weakening it.
Once a woodpecker chooses to settle on the wooden fence or sliding of a house, it would disturb the owner a lot through constant noise made by pecking and damaged furniture.
How to get rid of Woodpeckers?
Below is the list of best woodpecker repellents for you to get rid of woodpeckers.
Top 9 Best Woodpecker Repellents : Review
1. Bird-X Repeller Pro
This bird deterrent is exclusively designed to work against woodpeckers and sparrows as it makes use of sophisticated sonic technology to get rid of woodpeckers by producing eight different natural bird predators sounds to scare them away.
Bird-X Repeller Pro is long-lasting, provides coverage up to 1 acre, and has a power requirement range between 110 volts and 220 volts.
How to Use: You just need to set-up the machine by plugging it in and adjusting the settings or the predator sounds as per your choice.
2. Bird-X Terror Eyes
This woodpecker repellent functions by scaring woodpeckers away through a 3D balloon with bright colors and fierce features that resembles natural predators.
The holographic terror eyes with a to-and-fro motion due to wind, accompanied by the sound of wind rubbing against its surface, create an illusion of a predator waiting to attack the birds such as woodpeckers. It is a long-lasting repellent that does not require any extra, repair costs.
How to Use: The balloons contain exaggerated markings as they need to be inflated and hanged above the trees or installed upon the woods so that they can be seen by the woodpeckers from a long-distance.
3. Bird Blinder Repellent Wind Scare Rods
This woodpecker deterrent device makes use of the principle of ‘light reflection’ to scare the woodpeckers away.
Bird Blinder Repellent Wind Scare Rods consists of 5 to 12 inches of wind twistors that are capable of reflecting sunlight on to smaller birds such as woodpeckers as they also produce sound due to the swirling wind.
How to Use: You just need to hang the rods near the trees, wooden ceiling, or other wooden furniture. The rods need to be placed in wet lit areas to receive adequate sunlight as it creates strong reflections in the presence of sunlight only.
4. Bird-X Irri Tape
The holographic iridescent foil bird scare tape does not make use of any chemicals, making it safe for use around children and other animals.
It is a humane way to get rid of birds such as woodpeckers as it is capable of performing multi-sensory attacks like visual confusion and metallic sounds. The combined effect of the movement and the sound made by the tape confuses the woodpeckers.
How to Use: You just need to cut the tape in to strips of the desired size, preferably around 2 ft. long as it needs to be taped strongly around the vulnerable places.
5. Hoont Bird Repellent and Deterrent Disks
This woodpecker repellent is similar to the Bird-X Blinder Repellent Wind Scare Rods as it consists of eight sets or a total of 16 reflective disks that make use of double-sided mirrors for optimal performance.
The mechanism involves scaring away woodpeckers along with several other birds by reflecting the light. It is much more durable as compared to the Bird-X Wind Scar Rods as it is made up of corrosion resistance stainless steel, which enhances the reflecting property of disks and ensures lifelong effectiveness.
How to Use: You just need to attach the rings to the disk to assemble them, and then hang and install them near the trees or wooden ceilings that you wish to protect. The slight wind and breeze cause the disk to swivel around along with a great shine and hence, irritating the woodpecker and other birds.
6. Bird-X 54-1 Proof Bird Repellent Gel
This bird repellent comes in the form of gel and can be used on cornices and windowsills as it can be easily applied on any ledge or leaning surface. The gel can cover 10 linear ft. per tube as it prevents woodpeckers from landing on the wooden surfaces and gets rid of them. Additionally, the gel makes use of a non-toxic formula that does not cause any harm or damage to the animals and wooden surfaces.
How to Use: You just need to apply the gel on trees, ceilings, and other wooden surfaces that you wish to protect from woodpeckers, as the sticky gel prevents them from properly gripping and maintaining balance.
7. Aleko Bird Protection Netting
This woodpecker repellent consists of a 14 ft. wide and a 200 ft. long net roll as it works by being wrapped around the tree trunks and branches, which are at the highest risk of being affected and nested by woodpeckers.
Therefore, it is just a net that is designed to prevent woodpeckers and certain other birds to reach the wooden area. It is made up of highly durable Polypropylene and the mesh-like design allows the sun and water to pass to the tree, making it safe for use on trees and near children and animals.
How to Use: You can use the net to wrap it around tree trunks and branches that you need to protect. You would need to suspend the net at least a couple of inches away from the surface it is meant to protect, and a ladder to properly cover high trees.
8. Blue Straw Bird Scare Tape
The scare tape does not make use of any toxic substance, making it safe for use around children and animals. It uses a unique diamond pattern design to produce bright reflections that alarm the birds such as woodpeckers, of danger.
The metallic design produces slight noise and sways the tape during slight breezes and winds, which further makes woodpeckers uncomfortable and force them to fly away from the taped regions.
How to Use: You just need to cut the strips of flash tapes and tie them around tree branches, ceilings, or other wooden objects that you wish to protect. Along with scaring away woodpeckers and other small birds, the bright and elegant tape would also provide an amazing beauty to your trees and wooden objects.
9. JT Eaton Bird Protection Gel
The polybutene and petroleum-based gel is effective against many kinds of birds, especially woodpeckers as it leaves behind a thick, sticky residue that creates uncomfortable sensations when woodpeckers land on it.
JT Eaton Bird Protection Gel is long-lasting, requires low maintenance, and is made up of non-toxic formula that does not stain the surfaces where it is applied and is safe for use around humans and other animals that might come in contact with the applied surfaces.
How to Use: The petroleum-based gel can be applied on any surface on which the woodpeckers rest including the surface of trees and the wooden furniture as it does not possess any side effects. It works effectively in every weather condition but might melt during extreme summer, hence, requiring multiple applications frequently.
Buyer Guide to select the Best Woodpecker Repellent
Before buying any repellent to get rid of Woodpeckers, you should keep the following points in mind and make sure that it is suitable for your use:
- Exclusiveness of the repellent: You should prefer repellents that are woodpecker specific, rather than the ones that are made for all types of birds. This is because the repellents that are made specifically for woodpeckers or for a similar group of birds have a greater probability of showing effect as they are made exclusively by considering the habits, strengths, and weaknesses of woodpeckers.
- Side-effects of the repellent: One should choose a repellent depending on the possible side effects and endurance of the house members to it. For example, sound-based woodpecker repellents might disturb the family members and attract other predators to the house. Gels might turn out to be infectious and dangerous for children, and nettings and fences can be frequently damaged by birds.
- Durability of the repellent: Durability of a woodpecker repellent is a crucial factor while purchasing a woodpecker repellent because various repellents last for different periods and have a different way of working. For example, scaring objects might lose their prominent markings soon, rendering them ineffective. Nets might get torn by birds or animals, and Gels might melt during extreme summer.
- Harm caused to woodpeckers: According to the federal law in some countries and states, woodpeckers can only be prevented, and not exterminated because they are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and you can be behind the bars for doing so. Therefore, you need to make sure that the woodpecker repellent does not cause any damage or harm to the woodpecker.
Conclusion
Woodpeckers are small birds that can’t be exterminated but prevented through various humane repellents available in the form of decoys, tapes, gels, etc. It is best to choose non-toxic repellents as per your needs, for example, if you want to get rid of woodpeckers in extreme summers, it is best not to use gels and tapes but, decoys and other repellents.