Waking up to the loud sounds of woodpeckers on your building or roof is a stressful problem to have. If not scared away, these birds can peck the same spots repeatedly and break down the wood to find insects.
In this guide, we will discuss what colors woodpeckers hate and how to drive them away from your building:
Woodpeckers have a severe hatred for bright colors. If you find them coming around your home, you will need a quick and efficient solution to stop them.
If you can’t read the entire review now, here are our thoughts on woodpeckers’ hatred for colors in a nutshell:
- Woodpeckers hate bright, unnatural colors.
- To protect woodpeckers from your house, you can cover some external features with bright woodpecker-repellent paint or stain additives.
Apart from the use of colors, we also discussed other simple and effective ways to deter these annoying and destructive birds away from your home.
Do Woodpeckers Hate Certain Colors?
Woodpeckers are generally attracted to natural, unpainted wood. These birds hate to come around homes with bright or odd-looking colors.
This explains why you may have seen some houses with colorful flags. Some people even install strips of colorful paper.
Most times, the main idea behind such designs is not just the color preferences of the building owners. It could be their way of deterring these unwanted birds.
What Attracts Woodpeckers?
If woodpeckers are on your building, it is possible that you have an insect infestation and the woodpecker found it. Their diet consists of insects, seeds, nuts, and berries.
Once woodpeckers spot food, they keep pecking until they get to it. Over time, the noise from their continuous pecking can stress you out. The worst part is that the pecking may even damage your home.
So, to avoid having woodpeckers over, you can routinely treat your home for bugs. Do this, especially if you notice an insect infestation starting.
Another reason why woodpeckers may peck at your house is that they are looking for shelter. These birds hammer on houses to create a roost hole, establish territory or attract a mate.
They drum hard on wood until a hole forms. Although they naturally target trees and wood, they can target other tall objects like chimney pipes and utility poles.
Pecking on surfaces is another way these birds communicate, using their beak to create noise.
How Can Colors Drive Woodpeckers Away?
Woodpeckers and bright colors are enemies. To drive them away from your home, simply cover your building with one or more brightly-colored paint or additives in bright shades.
Woodpeckers often start damaging houses by creating small holes in the wood on the exterior. So, don’t allow holes to stay open for a long time.
This can tempt woodpeckers to peck at it again or create shelter for bugs.
Instead, repair, cover, or plug the hole to prevent woodpeckers from returning. Then, apply coats of bright woodpecker-repellant paint or stain additives.
What Is Woodpecker Deterrent Paint?
As the name implies, these are paints specially manufactured to repel woodpeckers. They are non-oxidizing, non-toxic, non-reverting, chemical-based additives.
These paints come in unique, bright colors with a strong smell to repel woodpeckers. They typically contain toxins like Methyl Anthranilate and, when applied on wood, create an uncomfortable environment for these birds.
These paints cause woodpeckers confusion, nausea, and great discomfort. You can use these paints on trees surrounding your house, lawn furniture, windows, wood doors, etc.
Takeaway
Woodpeckers are not aggressive towards humans – they are more scared of people than we are of them. However, they can still pose a danger if you contact them without taking proper precautions.
One way to drive woodpeckers from your home is with colors, as they do not like bright colors. By taking advantage of woodpeckers’ hatred for bright colors, you can keep them away from your home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Smells Keep Woodpeckers Away?
Woodpeckers dislike the smell of garlic, peppermint, cinnamon, onion, lavender, basil, and catnip. You can use any of these scents to make a woodpecker deterrent.
For example, you can make a solution of garlic and peppermint and spray it on surfaces where woodpeckers come around.
What Sounds Scare Woodpeckers Away?
Woodpeckers are scared of loud sounds. The louder you are in your house, the farther woodpeckers will be from you.
You can place a motion detector noise maker in the area where these birds target. Since birds are scared off easily, this should work.
That said, the sound does not necessarily have to be loud. However, it must resemble the sound of an enemy bird. The reason is that woodpeckers are afraid of sounds that resemble that of their predators.
Alternatively, you can use bells, wind chimes, and even a recording of a woodpecker in distress.
