WOODPECKERS PLUS+

Foraging for Insect Larvae: Birds may be looking for insects living within the siding of your home.  If the birds are looking for insects, they will create holes that are relatively small and irregular.

That’s right, these animals are not always hammering into a piece of wood to seek food. However, if they are creating many small holes throughout the siding of your home, this is a symptom of a larger issue. That issue would be the insects living within the exterior substrates of your home. Eliminating the existing insect population may have a systemic effect that also eliminates the woodpeckers from wanting to forage at your home.

In our areas we will commonly see these animals eating: Carpenter ants, ants, boxelder bugs, spiders, spider eggs, wasps, hornets, lady asian beetles.

Addressing The Woodpecker Issue

To address the underlying reason for their pecking, it’s important to remove the food source. Check areas of your home for any insect infestation. If you notice a number of dead insects near where the woodpeckers have been damaging your home, it’s important you get the issue treated right away to avoid further damage from woodpeckers.

Abra Kadabra Installs Woodpecker Deterrents

If woodpeckers have become habituated to your home, we provide a woodpecker deterrent program that is customized to your home’s needs. This includes the installation and use of various avian deterrents to keep woodpeckers away from your home. As our primary deterrent, we use the Intimidator Bird Flasher. This is a holographic wind driven device that was developed to deter woodpeckers from homes and commercial buildings.

The Intimidator creates a fear response as well as a territorial reaction. This two-pronged strategy resulted in a 95% success rate with flashes and movement. With the slightest wind the Intimidator has movement and the flash created is unlike any other product available. Woodpeckers can become habituated and have high site fidelity. If this is the case or in cases of long term issues, a federal permit will be needed to remove woodpeckers from site.

To learn more about woodpecker prevention tactics, contact the professionals at Abra Kadabra Environmental Services at (763) 363-4403. Our experts will be happy to answer any questions you have.

Assessment line item:

This service will include a survey and assessment of the home for current activity, prevention recommendations, and repair recommendations. This service does not include purchase or installation of any deterrent devices or exclusion items. This fee is non-refundable, but can be applied to the initial set-up of the annual woodpecker program.

Woodpeckers can become habituated and have high site fidelity. If this is the case, or in cases of consistent long term issues, a federal permit will be needed to remove woodpeckers from the site. Woodpeckers are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Lethal control is an option but it must be shown that all preventative measures and deterrents have been utilized.

Although we cannot guarantee 100% prevention, our wildlife technicians are highly trained in bird prevention. All of our wildlife Technicians are NWCOA certified Bird Management professionals. Proper use of deterrents will prevent or significantly limit further damage.

Woodpecker activity on a residential structure is typically the result of nesting, drumming or feeding (likely on carpenter ants).

Deterrent methods we employ are unique to each home. Each home will have a customized protocol for woodpecker prevention utilizing one or more of the following:

-Bird Flashers: A holographic, wind-driven device developed to deter woodpeckers from homes and commercial buildings. The bright flashes create a fear response, as well as a territorial reaction. This two pronged strategy has resulted in a 95% success rate with flashes and movement. With the slightest wind the Intimidator has movement and the flash created is unlike any other product available. The flashers create a prism on the side of homes, each flasher covering about a 15 foot radius.

-Optical Gel: a multi-sensory bird repellent that deters birds using sight, smell and touch.

–SIGHT: Dishes appear to be extremely detrimental to their safety (akin to fire or smoke) and avoid immediately.

–SMELL: They can’t stand the citronella and peppermint oil smell which to us is pleasant.

–TOUCH: They avoid sticky material (in the unlikely event they touch it).Effective for 2-4 years.

Repair of holes will eliminate the hole as an attractant to other woodpeckers. Woodpecker damage is created from:

• Probing activity- Probing holes are an attractant to woodpeckers as it suggests that food may be present.
• Nesting activity- When birds or eggs are present in the hole, we must wait until fledglings have matured and can leave the nest. If an active nesting area with no young, a one way door can be installed over the hole which will allow for the bird to leave the crevice.
• Repair of nesting holes will prevent future intrusion of birds
• Drumming activity is territorial behavior and can often be the most difficult to eliminate

We understand that woodpecker damage may be random, but the damage can be rather excessive. Committing to our Woodpecker Prevention Program allows us to effectively schedule and route a technician to perform work ASAP. Much of this work will be able to be performed immediately upon Abra Kadabra’s first site visit. Please contact your technician or our office if you would like to upgrade to the annual program.

Regardless of the type of activity your home is experiencing, if your home has had woodpecker activity, it is prudent to commit to our woodpecker maintenance program. This will provide:

• Monitoring of the woodpecker activity at peak times of the year.
• Regular Maintenance of the bird flashers
• Decreased pricing from our premium flasher install.

If the activity persists we can then escalate the situation and take it to the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to proceed with the protocol necessary to be given a permit to lethally remove a woodpecker.

Ongoing program line item:

10 day abatement program to remediate the existing wildlife intrusion

Woodpecker trapping requires a Federal Permit issued to the property owner prior to any trapping or removal. ( Pending )

This program includes:

• Installation of traps
• Removal of captured wildlife
• Removal of traps

Traps will be attached to the home with screws. After removal of the trap, screw holes will be filled with waterproof, commercial grade sealant.

Minnesota laws require that abatement devices be checked every 24 hours.

**Abra Kadabra can check traps if clients cannot be available to check traps, or traps are in a location on the home that is not easily viewed. Additional trip fees will be added if this is the case