RicodJour wrote:
cybercat wrote:
A woodpecker has hammered through the wood siding on the east side of our
house--in the back--wayyy up where we need a longer ladder than we have to
reach the hole. He was made a perfect round "birdhouse" hole. It took him a
lonnngg time, like a few seasons. (He shows up usually when I am not at home
...so I forgot about him for a long time, and what was a few bare wood spots
became a good-sized hole.) This house once had termites, so I am not unhappy
about having a woodpecker around, but not altogether happy about the hole in
the house either.

If it's only one hole, it's a nest. If they're poking holes all over
the house, you have a hidden food source.

At some point the woodpeckers (there's no such thing as one), will
start advertising for mates. This usually consists of drumming. If
you want to hear a god awful racket, check out an advertising
woodpecker drumming on an aluminum downspout. This is a common problem
and it gets on peoples' nerves very quickly. If you think woodpecker
drumming is cute, I guarantee that your neighbor won't like _your_ cute
woodpecker's antics.

There are several ways to get rid of woodpeckers that are not harmful
to the pecker. Some people use a plastic owl or other bird of prey to
scare away the woodpecker. There are also noise activated plastic
spiders, big ones, that climb up and down a wire in response to the
noise. This is very effective in stopping the drumming - at least
until the pecker finds another location nearby.

Start with the owl.

R

It's pretty important that no one know you "got rid" of the woodpecker.

You might end up in jail.