Best Woodpecker Traps
DID YOU KNOW?
Not only are woodpeckers annoying with their hammering, but they can cause significant damage in the wood around your house. Be watchful and set up the right deterrents to keep woodpeckers away from your home.The Best Woodpecker Traps
Is there a woodpecker in your yard that is giving you fits? If so, you have likely wondered, “How do you get rid a woodpecker?” In most areas, killing woodpeckers is illegal but fortunately there are other options, thanks to the three best woodpecker traps that we’ve provided below. These bird traps will allow you to catch the woodpecker and transport it away from your home in a safe and humane manner.
Woodpecker Traps We Reviewed
How We Found the Best Woodpecker Traps
8 Reviewers
28 Products Considered
3 Products Reviewed
3 Top Picks
Woodpecker Problem?
AB Traps Pro-Quality Live Animal Humane Trap
Pros
- Comes in various sizes, making it easier for homeowners to put the traps in different areas
- Cages feature a patented locking mechanism
- Does not use any chemicals or poisons
- Product weighs roughly ten ounces
Cons
- Customers will need to release the woodpecker
- Could capture other unexpected rodents besides woodpeckers
OUR VERDICT
This trap has a secure locking mechanism that prevents woodpeckers from escaping and comes in various sizes.
Our Review
Those customers looking for the best woodpecker traps need not look further than this option from AB Traps. The lightweight design makes it easy for homeowners to place the traps anywhere. The company includes its patented locking mechanism on each one of its traps. They offer traps in various sizes, such as:
- 10.5” x 5.5” x 4.5”
- 12.5” x 6.5” x 5”
- 16” x 7.5” x 7.5”
- Dual-Door Trap
We love that this trap is humane and will not kill the woodpecker. Homeowners will need to release the woodpecker in an area away from their home. Customers will want to check the trap frequently to ensure the door and trigger mechanism are functioning properly.
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Model 502R Tomahawk Double Door Rigid Pigeon Trap
Pros
- Designed specifically for use with birds
- Allows you to catch up to 15 woodpeckers
- The trap features two doors
- Sturdy design
Cons
- More costly than other options
- The trap weighs ten pounds, which could be difficult for some users to carry
- The cage does not collapse
OUR VERDICT
We were thrilled with this cage’s dual-doors and ability to catch up to 15 woodpeckers at a time.
Our Review
This cage features two doors, which allows homeowners to catch up to 15 woodpeckers at one time. We also liked the fact that the company designed this cage specifically for use with birds, which could help cut down on the chances of catching other rodents additionally, baby woodpeckers could potentially fit through the mesh holes and escape.
Alemon 12 Humane Live Trap
Pros
- Work well with small birds like woodpeckers
- Affordable
- Lightweight, making it easy for users to set
- Large, 12” diameter
Cons
- Some customers indicated that they need to replace the netting
- Setting the trap could be confusing for some
OUR VERDICT
The large 12” diameter and affordable price are two standout reasons to consider this humane, soft net trap.
Our Review
If you prefer a soft net trap as opposed to a heavy steel cage, you’ll want to take a look at this option from Alemon. In our opinion, it is one of the best soft bird traps available today. The trap is lightweight and easy to maneuver. The company designed it specifically to catch small birds, making it the ideal solution for your woodpecker problem.
We advise customers to exhibit caution when setting this trap. Some customers who had purchased the product previously indicated that they had trouble doing so. This is primarily because the trigger mechanism on the hatch is extremely sensitive. Because of this, homeowners will also likely need to check this trap frequently.
Why Choose a Humane Catch-and-Release Trap?
If you have a pesky woodpecker wreaking havoc in your yard or home, we strongly recommend a humane option. That’s because there are multiple woodpeckers on the Endangered Species List. Killing one of these birds is illegal. Not only would killing an endangered woodpecker harm the environment, but it could get you in trouble with local authorities as well.
Woodpeckers on the Endangered Species list include the ivory-billed woodpecker and the red-cockaded woodpecker. Additionally, the US Fish and Wildlife Service often has restrictions on the killing of any other type of woodpecker. You may need to secure a permit before you can do so. This is entirely too much hassle merely to get rid of a pest in your home.
Is it Difficult to Catch a Woodpecker?
When using one of the three best woodpecker traps that we’ve provided, you should not have much difficulty capturing and releasing the woodpeckers knocking on your home. Many homeowners find that catching a woodpecker is easy when using a net or a cage. However, if you are still struggling to capture the woodpecker, we recommend calling your local pest control management company.
Not only will a pest control management company know the best way to capture the bird, but they can also handle the release of the creature as well. This will prevent you from having to touch the bird, which is the part of the process that homeowners tend to hate most. However, a pest control management company is significantly more expensive than the traps we’ve provided.
Where Should Homeowners Release the Woodpecker?
All three of the best woodpecker traps that we’ve provided are humane and will not kill the bird. This means that homeowners are going to need to release the bird upon capture. We recommend releasing woodpeckers at least 100 feet away from your property. Releasing them into a wooded area tends to work best.
After you’ve caught your pesky woodpecker, we recommend that you don’t put your trap into storage just yet. Unfortunately, woodpeckers can return to your home. You could try catching and re-releasing the bird a second time, which many homeowners find useful. You could also consider a woodpecker poison, which should kill the bird.
Woodpecker Trap Bait
When setting a trap, homeowners will want to make sure that they use woodpecker trap bait. This will attract the bird to the trap, where the door will then snap shut, capturing the creature. We find that nuts such almonds, pecans, and walnuts tend to make the best woodpecker bait. You may also want to consider using bait leading up to the trap as a way to lure the creature.
You should also remember that you are going to have to check your trap frequently. You may need to rebait the trap a few times before you can capture the bird. More importantly is the fact that if you catch a woodpecker, you’ll want to release it promptly. Otherwise, the bird will die in the trap, leading to a foul odor. We recommend checking your woodpecker trap at least daily.
Summary
If you would like to eliminate your woodpecker problem humanely, you’ll want to consider the three traps we’ve provided. After testing numerous products, we believe that these are the best woodpecker traps available on the market today. These bird traps will allow you to catch and release the pest so that you no longer have to wonder to yourself, “How do you kill a woodpecker?”
The three bird traps on our list each have pros and cons that set them apart from one another. For instance, our “Best Overall” option comes in various sizes but does not collapse. Our Runner-Up features dual-doors that could help you catch multiple woodpeckers, but is extremely bulky. Lastly, our Best Soft Net Trap works incredibly well, although we found that the trigger mechanism was quite sensitive.