woodpecker question

[Francke]

Common question and common behavior for a variety of MI woodpeckers.  Here is what I think is going one.  First of all, your comment regarding woodpeckers "pecking" on metal stove pipes, etc. is common when they are attracting mates and establishing/defending territories.  They will find the most resonating object they can find(wood , metal or other) for this drumming.  This does not lead to holes in wood, so this is not your friends problem.

Woodpeckers search for food in much the same way we might search for a stud in a wall.  Pounding the wall with a hammer and listening to the sound tells you if it is hollow behind the wall or solid (when there is a stud present).  Woodpeckers do the same thing (in reverse) and they will peck on wood until they hear/feel a hollow area which to them means possible food.  So they drill a hole to investigate and hope to find insects.  When they don't find any insects, they move over a few inches/feet and try again and keep repeating this process.  As you know, wood siding is attached to wood studs (every 18-24" apart) and between the studs it is hollow (except for insulation).  They find the hollow sound between the studs which provides the stimulus for the birds to make holes, even though there are not any insects in the wood.  My only solution is to provide food for the woodpeckers (hang suet) near the problem area and maybe they will eat the suet and leave the house alone.

Chip Francke
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Will and Joan Wolfe 
  To: Mich-chat 
  Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2007 10:41 PM
  Subject: woodpecker question


  Haven't had this question in a long time, and can't remember the answer, if any.
  A friend has a Hairy Woodpecker driving him mad as it incessantly drums on his house's siding.  When we questioned whether there could be insects in the wood that it was going after, he said that the siding is only two days old.    Could the insects underneath have been aroused?  I also know that woodpeckers "just do this" (as a flicker did on an exhaust pipe on our roof.  It finally just quit.). 

  Aside from finding out whether he has an insect problem (and then how do you handle it?)  -- Do any of you have  any solutions to a woodpecker's  nuisance-drumming?

  Thanks for any ideas,   Joan  Wolfe  


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