By Manasa Reddigari and Bob Vila | Updated Dec 7, 2020 12:00 PM
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Q: Woodpeckers recently swooped in on my property and did a number on my cedar tree, siding, and roof. How do I plug up the holes they’ve left behind, and is there a way to prevent them from returning and creating more?
A: If you plug up the holes left by woodpeckers on outdoor structures without first ridding your property of what is attracting them, the winged backyard pests are liable to return to peck at the same or nearby sites. Therefore, repair always should start with eradicating the insects that woodpeckers feed on. After you’ve followed strategies to first get rid of potential food sources, use the methods below to effectively repair woodpecker damage in trees, siding, and roof shingles as well as prevent future attacks.
Investigate and remove any of the following insects from outdoor structures to reduce the likelihood of woodpecker damage from birds drilling for food on your property.
Plugging up holes left by woodpeckers in the following outdoor structures can prevent further woodpecker damage to your property.
A variety of woodpecker deterrents are available to keep woodpeckers away from outdoor structures after you have repaired them. For starters, protect trees by mounting bird-repellent tape to tree trunks or hanging old mirrors from limbs: Their shiny, reflective surface will scare off nearby woodpeckers. You can also opt to hang DIY wind chimes or plastic owls or hawks from tree limbs or siding or eaves of the home to frighten encroaching woodpeckers. Finally, if you have a dead tree in the yard, consider hanging a suet feeder (a wire cage with high-calorie bird food) from it to lure the birds to the dead wood and thus preserve living trees.
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