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patricia92243

(12,827 posts)
Sat Feb 10, 2018, 08:45 AM Feb 2018

I just started feeding my backyard birds (about 5 days ago,) I am attracting woodpeckers and

they are pecking on my roof and have stripped a shocking amount of bark from a tree in just that short time.

It is so bad that I have removed the feeder. A poor little hungry Cardinal came looking for it, but if something can't be done about the woodpeckers then the other birds cannot be fed.

I have Googled and there are woodpecker repellents, but they will scare off all birds and I just want to be rid of the woodpeckers.

Any suggestions, please!

10 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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lunasun

(21,646 posts)
1. get the reflective twirling tape and large bird eye. . They will ruin your
Sat Feb 10, 2018, 08:53 AM
Feb 2018

property if there is wood esp soft wood

neighbor put up a bird feeder and attracted wood peckers damaging everyone . the strips and eye worked . old cds on a string if you are short on cash as they are reflective
They are not easy to leave a place

patricia92243

(12,827 posts)
6. I'll try that. The only problem is the trees are these tall pines that don't have any easy to get
Sat Feb 10, 2018, 09:51 AM
Feb 2018

to branches. Also, there are squirrels living in them. I hope it will not scare them off. But I definitely have to do something, so it is reflective tape here I come.

Also, I'm not sure what a "bid eye" is.


lunasun

(21,646 posts)
7. Sorry bird eye
Sat Feb 10, 2018, 10:04 AM
Feb 2018

I never used this company to buy but here is the explanation
https://www.birdbgone.com/bird-b-gone-scare-balloon.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz_Lgus2b2QIVS7nACh2WPAioEAQYAyABEgLR2vD_BwE

Also you can but 200 ft of tape on line pretty cheap , tie something heavy with the tape throw it over the high limb then tie down both ends to around the trunk
It's pretty strong tape
Yes our yard looked like shit for awhile but better than destroying our house & after a while we able to just keep up a few ribbons and the eye which was enough
Oh and they will be back
keep the stuff for next year
Never bothered the squirrels still sitting up in trees nesting etc.
from that site
https://www.birdbgone.com/pest-bird-profiles/woodpeckers.html

patricia92243

(12,827 posts)
8. Since posting this, I've been to Walmart and Lowe's -all the stores in my small town. They
Sat Feb 10, 2018, 11:00 AM
Feb 2018

neither one had anything. I will order from Amazon today and should get it by Monday. In the meantime. I have hung strips of aluminum foil the best I could. Hope that will act as a deterrent until I can buy the real thing.

I was VERY glad to hear that it didn't scare the squirrels away. I feed ours bread and they are quite tame. I hate that I will not be able to feed the birds also.

I will keep my deterrents until next year, but am hoping since they didn't get much of a toe-hold in my yard before I discovered them, that maybe they won't be back.

Unfortunately, I live in Florida and I am afraid it would be an all year around problem.

Thanks so much for your help.

Nitram

(24,604 posts)
10. Not true. Woodpeckers only peck on rotten wood. They might peck on healthy wood just to make a sound
Sat Feb 10, 2018, 11:33 AM
Feb 2018

without harming the tree.

DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
3. Get a suet feeder and, obviously, some suet. That will keep them busy...
Sat Feb 10, 2018, 09:06 AM
Feb 2018

We had the same problem but, once we installed the suet/suet feeder, it ended.

unblock

(54,151 posts)
5. Were content now with just a hummingbird feeder
Sat Feb 10, 2018, 09:47 AM
Feb 2018

Doesn’t attract other birds. Just squirrels, but we can defeat that.

The reflective tape works well to get rid of woodpeckers and a cd at the end is a good idea.

Nitram

(24,604 posts)
9. If a woodpecker stripped bark off a tree, it means the tree is rotting inside and the woodpecker is
Sat Feb 10, 2018, 11:32 AM
Feb 2018

just trying to eat the insects that are eating the tree from the inside.

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