Why Is a Woodpecker Attacking My House?
Quick answer: A woodpecker attacks a house for one of three reasons — it’s hunting insects (often carpenter bees or carpenter ants) living in the wood, it’s excavating a nest or roost cavity, or it’s drumming on a resonant surface to attract a mate or mark territory. In Eastern Massachusetts, the most common culprit is the Northern Flicker. The right fix depends on which of the three it is.
Eastern Massachusetts is home to several woodpecker species, and the Northern Flicker is one of the most frequent visitors to homes here. In the video below, filmed at a customer’s property, you can see the bird’s field marks up close as it climbs across the camera: the black bib, the black “whisker” mark on the cheek, the red crescent on the nape, and the yellow flight feathers that flash when it takes off.
Video transcript / description
Video: “Northern Flicker Testing a House Surface” — filmed by Greenhow Pest Control, Eastern Massachusetts. No spoken narration; ambient audio only (drumming, wind, background birdsong).
[0:00] A Northern Flicker, a common Massachusetts woodpecker species, is perched on exterior house trim, actively drumming to test the surface’s resonance.
[0:21] Audio: rapid drumming — short, sharp bursts as the bird strikes the wood/metal trim repeatedly, pausing between bursts as if listening for how well the sound carries.
[0:39] The bird moves closer to the camera, giving a clear view of identifying field marks: a black bib across the upper chest, a black “whisker” mark extending from the base of the bill, and a red crescent marking on the back of the neck (nape).
[0:57] As the flicker shifts position and prepares to fly, the yellow undersides of its flight feathers become visible — the field mark that distinguishes the Eastern “yellow-shafted” form of the Northern Flicker from the Western “red-shafted” form.
[1:08] The bird flies off after completing its drumming sequence on this section of trim.
Northern Flicker filmed testing a house surface for drumming quality. Video © Greenhow Pest Control.
The 3 Reasons Woodpeckers Attack Houses
1. Feeding. If a woodpecker keeps returning to the same spot and you hear it working steadily rather than in short bursts, it’s likely excavating for insects living in the wood — commonly carpenter bees, carpenter ants, or beetle larvae. The woodpecker is a symptom here, not the root cause; the wood-boring insect is. Damage from feeding tends to be irregular and concentrated in soft, damp, or already-infested wood.
2. Nesting or roosting. Woodpeckers excavate round cavities for nests and roosts, most often in spring and fall. This damage looks like a clean, deliberate hole rather than scattered pecking.
3. Drumming (territory and mates). Both male and female woodpeckers drum on resonant surfaces — metal gutters, flashing, downspouts, and hollow trim are favorites — to establish territory and attract a mate. This is the most common cause of house damage and the one homeowners find most frustrating, since the bird will return to the exact same spot day after day. Unlike termites, woodpeckers don’t eat wood, so drumming damage is purely structural, not a sign of an insect problem.
Because a woodpecker will keep returning to a productive site, it’s worth acting as soon as damage starts, and continuing deterrent measures for a few weeks after the bird moves on. Repairing or replacing damaged siding, trim, or shingles promptly also helps — bare, already-pecked wood attracts other woodpeckers even after the original bird is gone.
What Actually Deters Woodpeckers (and What Doesn’t)
Woodpeckers are smart and habituate quickly to anything static. A study of house-attacking woodpeckers conducted by researchers affiliated with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology tracked 16 homes over two years and compared several widely recommended deterrents. A few takeaways are worth knowing before you spend money on a fix:
- Reflective, moving tape (e.g., Irri-Tape) performed best of the methods tested. Hang strips long enough to twist and flash in the wind near active damage, and move them every few weeks.
- Visual scare devices — plastic owls, “terror eye” balloons, hawk silhouettes — have limited staying power. Woodpeckers often habituate within days to a stationary lookalike, so these work best as one part of a rotating combination, not a standalone fix.
- Distress-call/predator-sound systems showed limited effectiveness in the same research, though they’re sometimes still worth trying in combination with visual deterrents.
- Physical exclusion is the most reliable long-term fix for a specific damage spot. Lightweight plastic bird netting (¾-inch mesh, hung at least 3 inches off the surface) prevents the bird from getting a grip at all, and hard or smooth-surfaced materials like aluminum trim resist damage in the first place.
Practical combination that tends to work:
- Hang reflective tape or foil strips (or a windsock) at the active spot.
- Add a moving visual deterrent — handheld windmills with reflective vanes, or a spring-mounted “terror eyes” device — and reposition it every 1–2 weeks.
- For a persistent single spot, install bird netting or a hard-surface patch as a permanent barrier.
- If the damage is feeding-related, address the underlying insect issue (see below) — no deterrent will stop a woodpecker from a wall full of carpenter bees.
Is It Really the Woodpecker — Or What’s Living in Your Siding?
If a woodpecker keeps drilling into the same soft or damp section of siding, trim, or fascia, check for carpenter bee entry holes (perfectly round, about the diameter of a pencil) or carpenter ant frass (fine sawdust) nearby. Woodpeckers are efficient predators and will target a wall that’s already hosting an insect colony. In these cases, treating the underlying carpenter bee or carpenter ant problem often does more to stop the pecking than any deterrent.
Are Woodpeckers Protected by Law?
Yes. Woodpeckers, their nests, and their eggs are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. It’s illegal to kill, capture, or harm them, or to disturb an active nest, without a federal permit. If deterrents and repairs aren’t resolving a serious, recurring problem, the next step is a permit request through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or a call to USDA APHIS Wildlife Services’ Massachusetts office — do not attempt lethal control (including snap traps) on your own.
FAQ
Why does a woodpecker keep coming back to the same spot on my house? Because that spot is either resonating well for territorial drumming, or it’s actively producing food (insects in the wood). Removing the appeal — via deterrents, repairs, or pest treatment — is what stops the return visits, not scaring the bird off once.
Do woodpeckers eat wood? No. Unlike termites, woodpeckers don’t eat wood — they excavate it to reach insects, create nest/roost cavities, or drum for territory and mating.
What time of year are woodpeckers most active on houses? Spring and fall, which are the peak seasons for cavity excavation and territorial drumming.
What’s the single most effective deterrent? No single method works alone. Reflective, moving tape (like Irri-Tape) has tested best among common deterrents, but combining it with a rotating visual deterrent and, for persistent spots, physical exclusion (bird netting or hard trim) gets the best results.
Can I trap or kill a woodpecker that’s damaging my house? No, not without a federal permit. Woodpeckers are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Contact USDA APHIS Wildlife Services for permit guidance if non-lethal measures aren’t working.
When should I call a pest control professional instead of just using deterrents? When the damage keeps recurring at the same spot despite deterrents, or when you find carpenter bee holes or ant frass near the damage — the woodpecker may be feeding on an insect infestation that needs to be treated directly.
Get Help With Woodpecker-Related Pest Problems
If a woodpecker is targeting your home because of carpenter bees, carpenter ants, or another wood-boring insect, Greenhow can identify and treat the underlying issue across Metro Boston, the South Shore, and Cape Cod. Contact us or call (617) 964-4733.
Sources: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918; USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, Massachusetts; Mass Audubon.
Updated July 2026 by Sean Greenhow. Originally published January 28, 2020.