Best Woodpecker Repellent

8 min read| Updated for March, 2019

DID YOU KNOW?

Woodpeckers will store food in the holes they make in your home or look for food in your siding if they are not removed soon enough.
The best way to keep your home free from woodpecker holes is to take the right precautions to keep them away from your home.

The Best Woodpecker Repellent

This past summer or fall, you may have noticed that woodpeckers have become a more pronounced problem in your area. Woodpeckers tend not to be as problematic during the winter. If you have had a woodpecker problem in your area, or think your house might be the next possibility in the pecking order, you should consider how to keep the bird from returning to your yard. Fortunately, we’ve provided a list of the three best woodpecker repellents to help keep them away for good.

How We Found the Best Woodpecker Repellent

7 Reviewers

25 Products Considered

3 Products Reviewed

3 Top Picks

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BEST

Bird Spikes

wildliferemoval.com

Bird-X Stainless Steel Bird Spikes Kit

Pros

  • Comes in packs of two, three, or nine
  • Stainless steel design is resistant to rust
  • Very affordable
  • The flexible base makes it easy to set the spikes across various surfaces

Cons

  • Warranty merely covers workmanship defects
  • Could increase stability for birds on otherwise slick surfaces

OUR VERDICT

These spikes are flexible, allowing you to place them on nearly any outdoor surface. We also liked their rust-resistant design.

Our Review

These spike strips come in packs of two, three, and nine, which should provide homeowners with enough length to deter all birds. The spikes are stainless steel, making them ideal for outdoor use because they are rust-resistant.

These strips do not rely on bait, chemicals, or poisons. Instead, they will prevent woodpeckers from landing on a particular area. The product comes with a ten-year warranty that protects against manufacturer defects.

BEST

Scare Rods

wildliferemoval.com

Bird Blinder Repellent Wind Twisting Scare Rods

Pros

  • Very affordable, as each rod costs approximately $2
  • The package comes with a set of five rods
  • 12” length should intimidate most woodpeckers
  • Rods spin in the wind, creating strong reflections

Cons

  • Rods are not particularly effective indoors
  • Will not kill or capture the woodpeckers – it is merely a deterrent

OUR VERDICT

These rods stand out because of their overall length and the strong reflections they created.

Our Review

If you’ve wondered, “Do wood chimes scare woodpeckers?” thanks to this product from Bird Blinder, you now have an answer. We found that these rods, which do not make noise but instead twist in the wind, were the most useful scare rods on the market today. There are five rods in the package, which you can set up across your yard to deter woodpeckers.

When the wind blows, the rods will twist. The rods contain reflective material that should distract and deter birds. Additionally, the rods are a foot long, which makes them large enough to scare woodpeckers. These rods will not kill woodpeckers but should keep them away from your home.

BEST

Scare Tape

wildliferemoval.com

De-Bird Scare Tape Repellent

Pros

  • Extra-thick design intended for long-lasting weather resistance
  • Tape is holographic
  • The company’s customer support team works seven days per week
  • The product costs less than $10

Cons

  • Home or business owners may need to climb on ladders to apply this tape
  • Sun exposure could cause the tape to become transparent

OUR VERDICT

This product is the best scare tape option available, thanks in part to its weather-resistant, extra-thick design that is built to last.

Our Review

Many of our readers have told us that they believe scare tape is the best woodpecker repellent. We think that this product from De-Bird is the best scare tape available today. The company designed the tape with weather resistance in mind, making it extra thick. The is 125 feet of tape included on the roll, which should prove to be more than enough.

De-Bird’s customer support team is also available seven days per week. If you are struggling to set the tape around your yard, calling the company could be beneficial. We should also note that homeowners may need to climb on a ladder to install this tape, depending on where the woodpeckers are attacking the home.

Common Mouse Trap Types

There are several trap options for catching mice. Common choices include:

  • Glue traps: The mouse will stick to the trap. You can toss the entire trap so that you do not have to touch the mouse to dispose of it.
  • Snap traps: This type is easy to set up, but if you are not careful, you can snap your fingers. These are not ideal around pets and kids. If you want to reuse the trap, you will need to remove the mouse manually.
  • Baiting traps: This type of trap usually has an exit and an entrance. Mice go into them to grab the bait that you place inside. Once the mouse is inside, the trap closes so that the mouse cannot escape until you choose to free the rodent. This trap type is ideal for homes with pets and children.
  • Electronic traps: These traps are a good choice when you do not want to touch mice. Once the mouse gets on the plates, they get an electric shock that kills them. All you have to do is dump them out afterward.
  • Kill and seal traps: This type is similar to the electronic traps since you do not have to touch the mouse to remove it. Once the mouse is inside the trap, they are unable to escape. These are usually a one-time use option since you throw away the entire trap once a mouse is inside.

Vital Tips for Trapping Mice

Using the traps properly is essential to catching as many mice as possible. The first consideration is the location of the trap. You want the traps where mice activity is noticeable. Look for areas where there are mouse droppings or evidence of them eating your food. Ideal areas for traps include behind your appliances, in darkened corners, along the walls, and behind large objects, such as a standalone kitchen cabinet.

From the wall, put the traps at a right angle. The trigger on the trap should be within an inch of the wall. If mouse activity is particularly heavy in a specific area, pointing two traps in opposite directions is ideal to catch them coming from the left and right.

If you only have a few mice running around, one trap may be enough to take care of them. However, if you have a major mouse problem, you will need multiple traps. The general recommendation is at least one trap per two mice. In areas with a lot of mice, place the traps approximately 10 feet apart.

The first day you put out traps is when you are likely to catch the most mice. Because of this, putting out more traps on this day can be beneficial. Make sure to place them properly and use an effective bait. Each trap should have enough bait to attract several mice.

Make sure to secure the traps where you place them so that they do not move around when mice are getting into them. There are putties and similar products you can use for this purpose.

Summary

Take advantage of the information here to pick the best mouse trap for your needs. You should also thoroughly read and utilize all of the instructions. Use gloves when removing live or dead rodents.