Flicker pecking on house (trees, fencing, city, birds)
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We have a flicker that flies up under the eaves on the house in one general location. He pecks relentlessly under the eaves. I noticed the other day that he has chipped through the roof sheathing in one spot and the bottom side of the shingles. or tar paper is visible. Would like to discourage him from this. Does anyone know how I might discourage him? Kind of wonder if I just put a box up there with a hole in it, if he would just go inside and leave the house alone. Not sure if he is looking for a nesting spot, or just behaves this way. Thanks.
We have a flicker that flies up under the eaves on the house in one general location. He pecks relentlessly under the eaves. I noticed the other day that he has chipped through the roof sheathing in one spot and the bottom side of the shingles. or tar paper is visible. Would like to discourage him from this. Does anyone know how I might discourage him? Kind of wonder if I just put a box up there with a hole in it, if he would just go inside and leave the house alone. Not sure if he is looking for a nesting spot, or just behaves this way. Thanks.
I had one of those years ago that loved to give a mating call on our aluminum rain gutter. He did that in the very early morning hours. It sounded like a construction worker on the roof with a jackhammer! Fortunately he moved on and we have not heard from him since.
If yours is actually pecking at the wood it might be a sign of decay and infestation? I would carefully check my roof for nails that pushed up through the shingles or holes. But, if this is not the case; you could try covering the area with relatively cheap 'deer fencing' available from Lowes or Home Depot. It comes on a roll and is seven feet wide by one hundred feet long - for about $20 (if I recall correctly). We used it to shield our picture window from a male robin last year.
We have a flicker that flies up under the eaves on the house in one general location. He pecks relentlessly under the eaves. I noticed the other day that he has chipped through the roof sheathing in one spot and the bottom side of the shingles. or tar paper is visible. Would like to discourage him from this. Does anyone know how I might discourage him? Kind of wonder if I just put a box up there with a hole in it, if he would just go inside and leave the house alone. Not sure if he is looking for a nesting spot, or just behaves this way. Thanks.
Have a house with cedar siding. Two flickers drilled into the side of the house. Tried all sorts of strong-smelling, eye-burning wood stains in the hopes of dissuading them to no avail. Came home from work and one was nesting in the hole. They had drilled right down to the insulation and in fact were using the insulation as nesting material.
Took a 12 gauge shotgun and wasted quite a few shells, but I did manage to ruin the fascia. You gotta be really quiet when you approach them from a side of the house. Finally killed one of them but another took over with the nesting duties. Finally killed the 2nd one. This nonsense lasted from sometime in May until I blasted the 2nd one on July 4th.
It really pis(s)es you off when they do this with all the trees available on the property.
They did this activity to the side that faces east. We have since replaced the cedar siding on that side with stone. So now the only problems are birds like song sparrows and robins attacking their own images in the big bedroom window on that side.
Hmmm. I posted something about this on the PA board awhile ago. I too have cedar shingles and they're pecking several holes. I've had carpenter bees, but they're not pecking on the same eaves where I had bees. Different side of the house. One actually drilled their way into the attic and set up a nest.
Anyway, I wanted to get an air gun to drive it/them away. However, I was informed it's a crime to shoot woodpeckers.
I would hang dangling shiny moving object right in the spot they are pecking in. I wouldn't shoot a bird for any reason, I am certain I can outfox them, after all they are the bird brains!
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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here it's also a crime to discharge a firearm within the city limits. Our flickers have tried to enlarge the 2" round soffit vent holes, which just had window type screens over them. I ended up putting larger metal screens and that stopped them. When they start pecking at our metal gas fireplace chimney, I plunk them with a soft pellet gun. It won't kill them but it does scare them off and after a few times they move on. Kind of fun, too.
I would hang dangling shiny moving object right in the spot they are pecking in. I wouldn't shoot a bird for any reason, I am certain I can outfox them, after all they are the bird brains!
Repped. Sad that a person cant figure out a humane way to deter a bird.
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You gotta be really quiet when you approach them from a side of the house. Finally killed one of them but another took over with the nesting duties. Finally killed the 2nd one. This nonsense lasted from sometime in May until I blasted the 2nd one on July 4th.
Sad that a person cant figure out a humane way to deter a bird. 
