Guess Who

Guess who (evil laugh)...It's a woodpecker and like the Saturday morning cartoons...these evil pecking fowls are destroying everything in sight. They have done a huge amount of damage to the back building at work and their incessant peck, peck, pecking is driving Ryan and Barb insane. Just like their cartoon counterpart Woody Woodpecker, these birds are almost impossible to get rid of and shooting them is not an option. Unless you want to pay a hefty fine. Woodpeckers are one of the species covered by the Migratory Bird Act of 1918.

The statute states that it's illegal to hunt, pursue, kill, capture or sell migratory birds. This law also grants protection against any harm done on migratory bird parts such as eggs, feathers and nests, which means getting rid of these creatures is not as simple as hitting them with a broomstick and bringing them to a taxidermist.

If caught violating the act, you may be fined as much as $500. This means it would be yours and Mother Nature's best interest to employ woodpecker control techniques that would only shoo away and not endanger the survival of the species.

I decided to research some of the legal ways to get rid of these pesky creatures. Here are the top 15 ideas I came across in my investigation. Be forwarned...some are really lame.

Woodpecker Top 15

1. Hang Strips of Aluminum Foil- something about the reflection of light scares them away
2. Put Salt on Their Tails- never did find the benefit in that
3. Trantulas- apparently woodpeckers are afraid of these hairy spiders...may get rid of the birds, but then you've got a whole
other problem...would rather have the birds
4 Petrolium Jelly- I have no idea
5. Sound Deterants- so we get rid of the tapping and replace it with constant dog barking...no thank you
6. Habenaro Peppers- unless they are mexican woodpeckers this might work
7. Rat Trap (with peanut butter)- you are supposed to cover the holes with this to catch them
8. Bobbing Headed Plastic Owls- doubt that would fool anyone, even a bird
9. Laser Lights- because it annoys them and everyone else
10. Squirt With a Hose- Yes and raise your water bill at the same time
11. Wind Chimes- those creep me out...don't think so
12. Bang Pots and Pans to Scare Them Away- please...can you see me out there banging pots and pans together? The
woodpeckers and everyone driving by on 67th Ave. will think I'm nuts!
13. Suete (sticky stuff that gets on their feet and they can't move)- so then they die there and rot and smell up the whole place
14. Spray the Area with Teflon Spray- makes them slip off the edge
15.Scare Eye Balloons and the Octopus- makes them think they are being watched by a predator...Yeah because woodpeckers have ever seen an Octopus (had to put a pic of these)





Not really sure any of these ideas are going to work, but I'll give my research to Barb. Will keep you updated on the progress. In the meantime...enjoy this clip from Woody Woodpecker.