Hi David,
I believe the question was about woodpeckers making holes, not drumming. Birds
use metallic parts of the house to drum because the sound is so loud,
increasing the distance it travels for other birds to hear it and recognize the
territory as "taken".
Birds don't usually drum for very long at a time in one place, so people should
accept it, just as they do loud helicopters, planes, lawnmowers, and other
manmade sounds that I never hear anyone but me complain about!
Marlene A Condon, Author/Photographer--The Nature-friendly Garden: Creating a
Backyard Haven for Plants, Wildlife, and People (Stackpole Books)
5554 Sugar Ridge Road
Crozet, VA 22932-2204
Phone: 434--823-8150
E-mail: marlenecondon@xxxxxxx
Book web site: www.marlenecondon.com
Article web site: www.InDefenseofNature.com
-----Original Message-----
From: david.boltz4 <david.boltz4@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Marlene A Condon <marlenecondon@xxxxxxx>
Cc: birdlady2011 <birdlady2011@xxxxxxxxxx>; va-bird <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wed, Nov 22, 2017 7:20 pm
Subject: Re: [Va-bird] Suggestions that work for discouraging woodpeckers from
pecking on the house...?
In my former house I occasionally had them drum on the aluminum siding, so
synthetic materials may not completely eliminate the problem. Since drumming is
not for feeding purposes it suited their needs and was very resonant. At 7 a.m.
that will awaken you quickly! They didn’t do it often and I have no idea what
would have discouraged them. I’ve even heard a Pileated WP drum on a large
metal power line pole.
Dave Boltz
Sent from my iPhone
On Nov 22, 2017, at 12:49 PM, Marlene A Condon via va-bird
<va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Many people think I am crazy for what I always say about this situation, but
when you ignore the reality of it, you will never solve the problem.
Woodpeckers make holes in houses at this time of the year because there are
insect larvae within the wood. This usually is the result of wood not being
kept stained or painted enough.
For now, you should just let the birds get the insects inside the wood.
Otherwise they end up maturing and creating the same problem again next year.
Birds feeding on insects is how Mother Nature limits insect numbers. You need
to work within the system!
The affected pieces of wood can be replaced in the spring, and the
painting/staining done. If you do not want to deal with insects getting into
wood, you should replace it with some unnatural kind of material.
Sincerely,
Marlene
Marlene A Condon, Author/Photographer--The Nature-friendly Garden: Creating a
Backyard Haven for Plants, Wildlife, and People (Stackpole Books)
5554 Sugar Ridge Road
Crozet, VA 22932-2204
E-mail: marlenecondon@xxxxxxx
Book web site: www.marlenecondon.com
Article web site: www.InDefenseofNature.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Claire Kluskens via va-bird <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: VA-Bird <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, Nov 21, 2017 7:41 pm
Subject: [Va-bird] Suggestions that work for discouraging woodpeckers from
pecking on the house...?
Please forgive this being a little off topic….I have been asked by someone how
to dissuade a Downy Woodpecker from insistently pecking on the soffit of the
house. It has done some damage, and no amount of covering of holes seems to
have dissuaded it from continuing at the same place. I am not sure what other
methods they have tried. Yes, there are lots of suggestions online, but does
anyone have any really good suggestions that they have had success with?
(This is in Fairfax County). Thank you,Claire KluskensAlexandria/Fairfax Co.***
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