Ever woken up to a tap-tap-tap-tap-tapping sound outside your window? Chances are that persistent drumming sound is the performance of a woodpecker.
There are 16 kinds of woodpeckers in North America that peck away at trees for a few different reasons. They may be trying to find insects to eat, make a nest or discover a spot to store food. Males tap away to find a mate or establish territory. Some woodpeckers are actually called sapsuckers and remove sap from the tree when they peck, which can cause serious damage or even destroy the tree.
Regular woodpeckers can cause plenty of damage to trees with their tenacious tapping, too. Woodpeckers tend to leave behind either clusters of small holes or holes in a straight line. These holes can be large if the woodpecker is making a nest or a storage space. Experts suggest treating small holes with fungicide to prevent disease. But don’t cover these holes, as you may trap disease inside and make the problem worse. Large holes, however, should be treated with fungicide and covered with galvanized mesh, which you can purchase at a hardware store.
While some people don’t mind woodpeckers, others would rather not deal with the sound or the possible damage they can leave behind. Wrapping the trunk in bird netting or reflective objects such as mirrors, old CDs or wind chimes in the tree may help keep them away. And then there’s always the strategy of making loud noises to scare off the bird once it starts pecking. Woodpeckers are persistent. But they will eventually take the hint if you continually deter them from your trees.