Woodpeckers Urban Wildlife Damage Control some 45 of which are in the United Some of the woodpeckers found in States. Kansas has 13 different kinds Kansas are: the Northern flicker (Co- of woodpeckers. Woodpeckers prefer laptes auratus), a common year-round habitat in the form of mature and old resident; the red-shafted flicker woodlands where there are standing (Colaptes cafer), a more migratory dead trees or large dead limbs in older bird found in Kansas in the winter; and living trees. the yellow-shafted flicker (Colaptes Biology and Habits auratus) a common resident in eastern Kansas. The bills of woodpeckers are damage knew of other people who The hairy (Picoides villosus) and straight, sturdy and sharp pointed and also had similar damage. The majority downy (Picoides pubescens) wood- are used to chisel through or under of people experiencing woodpecker peckers are similar in appearance and the bark in search of wood-burrow- damage lived in a woods or within half are the smallest woodpeckers found ing insect grubs, spiders and ants. The a mile of a woods, 95 percent of which year-round in Kansas. They are mostly woodpeckers also use their bills to contained large hardwood trees. This black and white in color. chisel out their nesting cavities as well may not reflect a woodpecker prefer- The red-headed woodpecker (Mela- as night roosting cavities. ence for houses, but rather may reflect nerpes erythrocephalus) is generally a Woodpeckers have special adapta- a disruption of habitat. summer resident in Kansas; however tions in their tongues that enable them There is a high incidence of damage some of these birds might overwinter to capture and eat insects. Sapsuck- to cedar. It may reflect woodpecker in the state. ers, which are true woodpeckers, eat selection, but it also may reflect a se- The red-bellied woodpecker (Mela- sap they obtain by pecking rows of lection of cedar as a building material nerpes carolinus) is a year-round small holes through the bark of live in wooded areas. resident. trees. Small brushlike bristles on their Woodpecker damage is most likely The largest woodpecker found in tongues lap up the insects attracted to to occur in spring and fall, but spring Kansas is the crow-sized, pileated the sap as well as lapping up the sap is the biggest damage season. No woodpecker, (Dryocopus pileatus) itself. one really knows why the birds are which generally lives only in mature The tail and feet hold the bird attracted to houses, but natural wood timber in river bottoms along the east- firmly anchored to the tree trunk. (especially cedar) siding, large size, ern edge of the state. Strong neck muscles provide the force and better sound production may make Three different kinds of sapsuckers necessary to drill holes, and special houses seem like “super trees.” are found in Kansas. The Williamson bristly feathers around their nostrils The key to successful control is to sapsucker (Sphyrapicus thyroideus) filter out the wood dust as the wood- take action as soon as a woodpecker has been recorded as being seen in peckers chisel away. shows signs of becoming a pest. If the state only on rare occasions. The it is allowed to establish its behavior Urban Problems yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus pattern, it will become much more dif- varius) is a low-density winter resident Woodpecker damage to houses is ficult to stop. throughout Kansas. These birds gener- an extensive problem. In one study, Woodpecker damage to houses is not ally arrive in October and leave by late 43 percent of those people reporting a new occurrence. In fact, it is becom- April. The red-naped sapsucker (Sphy- rapicus nuchalis) is found occasionally Urban Wildlife Damage Control in extreme western Kansas. One woodpecker, the ladder-backed Bats, L-855 Skunks, L-862 woodpecker (Picoides Scoloris), oc- Birds, L-856 Tree Squirrels, L-863 curs in a very limited area in southwest Snakes, L-864 Kansas. Blackbirds in Roosts, L-857 And the least known woodpecker in Cottontail Rabbits, L-858 Woodchucks, L-865 Kansas is the Lewis woodpecker (Mel- Muskrats, L-859 Woodpeckers, L-866 anerpes lewis), which occasionally Woodrats, L-867 strays into Kansas from the west. Opossums, L-860 There are more than 200 different Raccoons, L-861 kinds of woodpeckers in the world, Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service 1 ing very common in suburban envi- ing, metal flashing, downspouts, TV When damage is such that spe- ronments, which are spreading into antenna, columns and siding. cific control is necessary, a variety wooded ecosystems. At the same time, of measures can be applied (Figure the older suburbs and the residential Laws and Regulations 1). All species of woodpeckers can areas in the larger cities are heading Woodpeckers are federally protected be controlled in similar ways, though toward their ecological climax. migratory species, and as such are individual birds may react differently. Trees planted 30 or more years ago subject to both state and federal laws. It may be possible to deaden or dull are becoming more suitable as habitat The legal requirements under each set the sound with padding by placing for woodpeckers. Woodpeckers seem of laws apply. A federally issued dep- insulation or other material behind to be attracted to the cedar siding redation permit is required before any the siding at the place where the for three reasons: food, nesting and person may take, possess or transport drumming is occurring. If necessary, “drumming.” migratory birds for depredation control remove a plank or two to insert mate- purposes. No permit is required to rial and then replace. This technique Drumming scare or herd depredating migratory is most effective as soon as drumming Woodpeckers are unique in the birds other than federally listed threat- begins. animal world in that they are the only ened or endangered species, bald or creatures—besides humans—to be true golden eagles (50 CFR 21.41). Visual Repellents instrumentalists. No other known bird, For information on these and other Using visual repellents may also mammal or insect, instinctively makes state and federal permit conditions, chase the birds away (Figure 2, a sound with something other than a contact Wildlife Damage Control, page 3). The three most used most part of its body. 131 Call Hall, Kansas State University, are aluminum foil strips, hand-held Woodpeckers make their noise on Manhattan, KS 66506. Permit requests windmills, falcon silhouette mobiles a number of objects, including trees, should be addressed to the USFWS, and magnifying mirrors. branches, drain sprouts, street lights, P.O. Box 25486, DFC (60130), Denver, TV antennas, silos or anything else CO 80225-0486, (303) 236-8171. ■ Aluminum foil strips: that resonates loudly. • Cut several strips 2- to 3-inches Woodpeckers drum for several Problem Management across and 2- to 3-feet long. reasons. First, it is a territorial signal, One thing that cannot be over-em- • Attach a 6-inch string to one end similar to most other birds’ singing. phasized is to start doing something of each strip. It also may serve to attract a mate. to stop the drumming as soon as it • Partially hammer in small brads Be-cause of this, drumming activity is begins. In cases where people wait or nails 2- to 3-feet above the at its highest in spring, although fall until the pattern of drumming has been drumming site; space 6- to 10- drumming is not uncommon. established, it is difficult to break the feet apart. It also is thought that some drum- habit. • Attach each string to a nail in so ming may be used to locate food. The Study the place where the drumming that strips hang freely and move birds tap on a tree and then listen for is taking place. In order to drum, the with every breeze. It is the motion any movement of insects inside. This woodpecker must be able to hold onto which frightens birds away. saves the bird the effort of drilling the structure. Therefore, first consider ■ Hand-held windmills: into countless trees only to find them removing all ledges, cracks and crev- • If available, purchase windmills empty. ices that might serve as toeholds. This whose vanes are reflective. They know to drill only when they may solve the problem. • Attach at the drumming site with hear some sort of sound inside. In a similar manner, they will tap on po- tential nest trees to find the one most suitable. The kinds of woodpeckers most of- ten involved in urban damage include yellow-shafted flicker, red-bellied, downy, red-headed and hairy. The most damage from woodpeck- ers in Kansas occurs in suburban and urban areas; not much occurs in rural areas. Kansas residents report these kinds Figure 1. To discourage woodpeckers. Plastic netting attached from outside edge of problems: drumming on gutter- of eave, angled to siding. Insert shows hooks and wooden dowels to attach. 2 offending woodpeckers. Noise, such as from banging pans, boards, clapping hands or cap pistols will chase birds away. Rubber balloons with round owl-like eyes attached or painted on the sur- faces and hung in the drumming area have been used successfully. Holes pecked in the siding may be round and smooth or vertical, rough gashes 1 to several inches long. This kind of damage may be restricted to a small area, often high on the corner of the building, or it may be extensive. The large round holes are probably intended to be nesting or roosting cavities. Extensive damage back and forth across the siding may result from a search for insect food behind the siding.