# Woody the (annoying little snot of a) Woodpecker **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 28, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woody-the-annoying-little-snot-of-a-woodpecker/100607 "2002-03-28T19:19:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woody-the-annoying-little-snot-of-a-woodpecker/100607/1 "2002-03-28T19:19:44Z")
This morning, 5:30 am, “Bangity-Bangity-Bang!” It’s my local woodpecker, an every-other-day little annoyance pounding on my rain gutter again. Right outside my bedroom. As the sun rises earlier each morning, he’s waking me earlier. I’m guessing it’s a display of male woodpecker studliness, “I’m a loud woodpecker, and you should want me!” How can I get this little bugger to leave my house alone? Right now I have get up, go outside and shout 'til he leaves. I tried rocks but stopped when I heard one land in my gutter and stay. My presence doesn’t seem to worry him enough to prevent his return the next day - or later that morning for that matter. If identfication is an issue, he’s gray, with a black bill, and about medium sized - larger than a robin, smaller than a crow. He’s got a nice twittery song. I live here in west Denver. My wife is suggesting a pellet gun - I’d like to try not to escalate to killing the little pest. -B ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woody-the-annoying-little-snot-of-a-woodpecker/100607/2 "2002-03-28T19:30:20Z")
[Here](http://wpspaint.com/Library/Pest_Control/woodpck3.htm)’s one site with ideas on “Control Methods” (scroll down a bit). Hope this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2002, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woody-the-annoying-little-snot-of-a-woodpecker/100607/3 "2002-03-28T19:36:23Z")
You’re probably right about the motivation. “Drumming” is used as a territorial advertisement, which is why they do it on rain gutters and such objects that make a lot of noise. From your description, it sounds like you are dealing with a [Northern Flicker.](http://birds.cornell.edu/BOW/NORFLI/) While a pellet gun may be appealing, woodpeckers are federally protected. [This site](http://www.wildlifedamagecontrol.com/woodpeckers.htm) suggests some non-lethal alternatives, in particular using a garden hose on the culprit. Other deterrents can include scary objects (owls, “big-eye” balloons, owl decoys) or sounds (tapes of distress calls). ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2002, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woody-the-annoying-little-snot-of-a-woodpecker/100607/4 "2002-03-29T01:43:26Z")
I knew a guy some years ago who came up with a clever solution to a woodpecker that was both waking him up and damaging his house. First, he put some sort of plastic stick-on sheet over the place the woodpecker was interested in, which both protected it from damage and made it sound softer when pecked. This was partly successful - but the woodpecker would still peck at the wood just outside the plastic protector. Then, the inspiration. He took a piece of some sort of resonant metal (might actually have been a gutter section) and mounted it on a tree some distance from the house. It took a few days, but the woodpecker eventually found this and decided it was way better than the house had been as a pecking spot. So, no more house pecking. Actually, the new pecking target was still too loud. After a couple of days my friend deadened it a bit, and both he and the woodpecker were happy. YMMV