Should I be worried that I have woodpeckers pecking at my house?

[Maine-ah]

just below my kitchen window, I had a rather large woodpecker pecking away.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. I wonder if that means you have bugs in the wood??

[Gormy Cuss]

2. That's what I'd worry about too.

If the woodpecker hangs around it may be because it's finding food there. If it's a one shot deal, the woodpecker may just be shopping around for new eating spots.

They're pretty birds and fun to watch --when they're in a tree.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Noisy lil guys, though. I prefer them in trees far away from the house. :^P

[Maine-ah]

6. I was trying to figure out wth the sound was too

driving me nuts! Just went out to check the shingle and he managed to get a good hole in it, no evidence of bugs in there. Now I have to replace a shingle though. bastard.

We've had them around our property for quite sometime. This is the first time I have noticed them going after the house.

[Maine-ah]

5. Not that I have noticed, we're bug free as far as I can tell

he didn't hang around long though.

[harmonicon]

4. yeah, it's not so good

You'll have to patch up the hole...

[Maine-ah]

8. didn't take him long either.

maybe half a minute to do the damage.

[supernova]

7. Occasionally, they love to peck the metal cap

on my chimney.

At daybreak.

:grr:

But yeah, I'd check for termites or other insects before you seal it off.

[Maine-ah]

9. I just did some googling

and apparently that's one of their favorite things to do. They will also do it in the spring to attract mates.

There is a couple of dead trees at the edge of our property, and large one on my neighbor's property which is right on the line of our property, it's where they usually hang out.

[UTUSN]

10. A woodpecker story

There's this rotted out chinaberry tree, still with big branches and foilage, but the innards of the main trunk are just empty air.


So for about a week this woodpecker was busy at work, digging out a home in one of the upper branches, a soft wood. He turned it into the most perfect circular entrance, even with a bevelled looking rim around the edge.


So I swear, when it was done, he brought the female for approval. She did a couple of looks at it, flew back and forth from a neighboring tree to the would-be nest, and then BAM, there came the verdict: No dice. They both flew away and didn't come back.

[XemaSab]

11. What kind of woodpecker?

What did it look like? :shrug:

[Maine-ah]

14. Pileated Woodpecker

[TZ]

15. Ooh. My favorite woodpecker!

They are gorgeous! And BIG! I hope you can find a harmless way to discourage this behavior.....

[Maine-ah]

17. they are big

we have a family that has been around here now for a few years. At last count, we had three.

[XemaSab]

16. They're super cool

They might be my favorite woodpecker... and I've seen all the American woodpeckers. :P

[AngryAmish]

18. Including the Ivory-bill?

[XemaSab]

19. Except that one

:P

[lost-in-nj]

12. At least it's not a hoot owl

howling by your window now for 3 nights in a row......


:*


:hi:


lost

[NV Whino]

13. Yes, be very concerned

They can do enormous damage.

Possible causes:
1. attracting a mate
2. bugs in the wood
3. wood dried out with or without bugs
4 stashing acorns, which is very, very bad. If you didn't have bugs before, you will now.

Also, holes left open give bats a place to hang out... or wasps.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

20. Only if they laugh like this: HahahaHAha HahahaHAha HahahaHAha Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha...