Looking for Ideas on how to keep birds from destroying my new fascia boards.

LFP57

Active member

Equipment
LX2610 Land pride QH 10, BB1560, EA 55" Wicked Grapple, Top n Tilt, Wicked T
Sep 21, 2021
108
38
28
Michigan
I have bay windows that run the height of two story house, the birds (Wood Pickers) destroyed the wood and then the squirrels moved in. I had to replace all of the boards (16 foot long Cedar) and now they're back at it again, anyone have any suggestions on to keep them away from the wood fasica (and other wood trim ) on my house?
 

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,532
2,585
113
Peoria, AZ
I feel your pain.

IMG_0156.JPG
IMG_0120.jpg


All of the white in the 2nd pic is replaced trim and pecker holes filled with stucco fence epoxy.
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: 1 users

hagrid

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
K1600GTL, ZX-14R
Jun 11, 2018
934
1,213
93
Pittsburgh
The peckers are after bugs. Deal with the bugs and the peckers go away.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,532
2,585
113
Peoria, AZ
Our cabin was originally a natural wood finish, which looks like a dead tree to acorn woodpeckers.
After trying everything to get them to leave the place alone, we spoke to animal behaviorists, and they told us to remove any dead trees in the area, (habitat) and change the color & texture of the building, so it looks less like a dead tree.
We replaced trim, patched holes, & painted the cabin a dark chocolate brown, and all that has helped a lot.
They still peck on it some.
I'm told that all the birds that have pecked on it in the past will continue to do so, until they die. The bad part is that they teach this behavior to their young.
So the only sure fire way to stop them is to kill them all, but of course, you can't do that, because they are a federally protected species. :mad:
 

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,532
2,585
113
Peoria, AZ
The peckers are after bugs. Deal with the bugs and the peckers go away.
Wrong, at least in Arizona. Edit (depending upon species & location)
Acorn woodpeckers have little interest in bugs, they only drill holes to store acorns.
My place was checked several times before I learned this, and NO bugs.

572[1].jpg
 
Last edited:

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
9,189
5,318
113
Chenango County, NY
Wrong, at least in Arizona.
Acorn woodpeckers have little interest in bugs, they only drill holes to store acorns.
My place was checked several times before I learned this, and NO bugs.

View attachment 140300
I think I recall your pictures with the damage years ago on OTT.

No bugs to be had.

We moved into this house 33 years ago this month.

Next morning here there was a Pecker slamming on an aluminum ladder across the road….friggin thing wouldn’t quit until my (new) neighbor took the damn thing down from the house several days later.🪜

Wish he left it up, because then the dog started barking……🐕

I think @hagrid is incorrect.

Sometimes peckers just want to drill something.😜
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

rc51stierhoff

Well-known member

Equipment
B2650, MX6000, Ford 8N, (BX sold)
Sep 13, 2021
2,580
3,118
113
Ohio
Whenever I hear ‘ I have a headache’ I know it’s not going to work out and I go away…maybe try telling em that or put the MIL near it. 😉

It probably would not look nice but you could put some hardware cloth over it….probably work better if you keep it away from the wood a little so they can’t peck through it…it would look aweful though.
 

NCL4701

Well-known member

Equipment
L4701, T2290, WC68, grapple, BB1572, Farmi W50R, Howes 500, 16kW IMD gen, WG24
Apr 27, 2020
2,807
4,272
113
Central Piedmont, NC
Cement board or wrap it in aluminum.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

hagrid

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
K1600GTL, ZX-14R
Jun 11, 2018
934
1,213
93
Pittsburgh
Wrong, at least in Arizona. Edit (depending upon species & location)
Acorn woodpeckers have little interest in bugs, they only drill holes to store acorns.
My place was checked several times before I learned this, and NO bugs.

View attachment 140300
You an @RCW are extra wrong.

Its obvi that tree is infested with acorn bugs.






frickin' city folk...
 
  • Haha
  • Love
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users

chris_the_wrench

Member

Equipment
L3902
Oct 31, 2023
64
21
8
Chinook Pass
For work, Ive replaced close to a miles worth of fascia and pieces of cedar siding on houses. 80-90% of the time when I pull the chewed up piece of lumber there is a metric zillion dead stink bugs behind the plank. I dont know if the bugs came before the bugs or viceversa.

That being said Im no bird expert. Ive been told by a few folks it’s some kind of mating call??
 

AM28

Active member

Equipment
Bx2360
Jul 7, 2024
125
149
43
Socialist WA State
I have a brand new shed I built for my wife. Brand new lumber no bugs. Every spring since I built it, the birds have come and drilled holes in the siding. The only bugs that have ever been in it are the bees that fly in the holes the birds dig. I use a pump pellet rifle with a scope.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

dirtydeed

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
B2650 BH77, U27-4R2, BX23TLBM, box blade, rear blade, flail mower, Stump Grinder
Dec 8, 2017
3,029
3,695
113
Wind Gap, PA
Several carpenter bee traps around my place (log home). I really dislike woodpeckers (and carpenter bees). Actually, killed a carpenter bee just yesterday. They were out again in this warm weather. I got that one in a hole with a spray bottle filled with diluted dish detergent.

For the peckers...it's a .22 caliber Gamo Swarm with scope. Just can't beat a rotary magazine fed break barrel pellet gun in .22 ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

GreensvilleJay

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
Apr 2, 2019
11,474
4,934
113
Greensville,Ontario,Canada
Bird-X make(made ?) noise boxes to shoo away birds. Disney got into a flap about using them near their food courts years ago....
The new stucco house next door has a pecker problem, hehehehe.....
Spray brake cleaner is GREAT at killing ^%&**& carpenter bees !
 

jaxs

Well-known member

Equipment
B1750HST
Jun 22, 2023
736
528
93
Texas
Somehow I doubt that unless you are older than I'm lead to believe. That was what the principal of my school called his Board Of Education. He used his pocketknife to put holes in it for less wind resistance which translates to increased velocity which translates to louder whack which translates to more OUCH!
 

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,532
2,585
113
Peoria, AZ
Somehow I doubt that unless you are older than I'm lead to believe. That was what the principal of my school called his Board Of Education. He used his pocketknife to put holes in it for less wind resistance which translates to increased velocity which translates to louder whack which translates to more OUCH!
I am undoubtably older than you believe, and maybe we went to the same schools, as I have felt the sting of the same paddles, on multiple occasions. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user