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Woodpecker deterrent idea


SwampNut

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As part of having the house stucco fixed, the guy said he’d put up owls or other bird deterrents.  But I just had another idea.  I am thinking of making up some long stainless cable loops (I already have cable and tools) and have him hang those with metal eyes.  Then I can hang a deterrent and send it up like a flag.  When they inevitably get damaged by wind, I can pull it down and replace it.  Thoughts?  I can't see a downside, cost is near nothing.
 

My house is very tall, I don't have/don't want ladders that can reach the eaves.  So having him put one up in each of the affected corners would solve this.

 

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I am thinking 1/8" stainless rope and just large eyes, but looking at pulleys now.  Pulleys add a failure point.  Eyes could kink the wire, but...does it matter?  I can always use the wire to pull a new wire if needed.

 

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Sounds like a simulated flagpole experiment worth trying--nothing to really lose. If I understand your premise, you're right pulleys may not be needed. Instead, you could try  larger eyelet screws (simply fixed to the high points) and run the cable length through them (very loose fit); a small loop or clamp in the run could serve as a height-indicator stop.

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Or a comfortable chair/hammock to lounge in while waiting for them to come onto the shooting range 🙂

 

Simple eyes should work, pulleys sound better.  I assume the only failure would be the roller becoming stuck, then it's just an eye with a larger radius.  We had pulleys for the spa cover that were quite old and corroded, but still worked.

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31 minutes ago, superhawk996 said:

Or a comfortable chair/hammock to lounge in while waiting for them to come onto the shooting range

 

Need a gillie suit, they are easily spooked.  Janel has picked off a few by hiding under a blanket in their gazebo.  

 

The concern with pulleys would be a stuck wire between the pulley and edge.  There shouldn't be much weight here, so I don't think there's much risk of kinking it over a large-diameter eye.  Also thinking that maybe I should just use the 1/16" rope I have now?  Still pretty damn strong, compared to the load of a plastic owl.

 

61-HdHEVfeS._AC_SL1000_.jpg

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4 hours ago, Zero Knievel said:

I remember a woodpecker that was trying to bore a hole into a power pole that had a metal plate.  Made quite the racket.

It wasn't trying to make a hole, they're not that dumb, it was just fucking with you.

 

They'll peck metal objects to make noise to establish a territory and attract a mate.

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Carlos, I just read that you can get a permit from the feds for lethal control when they'd damaging property.  Guessing you wouldn't want one, but I found it interesting.

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I also read that decoys need to be moved every few days or they start ignoring them.  Didn't read much about it and don't know if it's true, I just saw it in passing.

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1 hour ago, superhawk996 said:

I also read that decoys need to be moved every few days or they start ignoring them.  Didn't read much about it and don't know if it's true, I just saw it in passing.

 

I'd heard that, but proved it wasn't true in my case at least.  I put up reflective owls, and they worked perfectly for a month or two.  But then the winds got them.  It might be that the reflective stuff they hate simply works forever.

 

On the permits, I don't qualify, but thanks to looking, I learned something.

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As a last resort, a homeowner can apply for a depredation permit for some species of woodpeckers. Proper exclusion, harassment and monitoring will be necessary to demonstrate the need for a permit. Permits will be issued only if non-lethal methods have previously been tried and failed. An applicant for a depredation permit must also show strong justification for the need for the permit. For example, where significant structural damage to a building has resulted in an economic hardship. In most cases, though, together we can usually find a solution that allows both us humans and the woodpeckers to have sound and safe homes!

 

 

But...I had been told that harassing them was illegal.  It's not.  So shooting NEAR them is not illegal.  Oops, I um, missed missing it.  I was shooting for the eaves.  No really.  You're not in this for the hunting are you?

 

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What activities can I do without a depredation permit?

You do not need a federal depredation permit to simply harass or scare birds (except eagles and federally listed threatened or endangered species).

 

I'll have them install the cables.  Most that can happen is I waste a few dollars in parts if it doesn't work out.

 

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49 minutes ago, SwampNut said:

I'd heard that, but proved it wasn't true in my case at least.  I put up reflective owls, and they worked perfectly for a month or two.  But then the winds got them.  It might be that the reflective stuff they hate simply works forever.

Some streamers/ribbon might do as well or better, and they're cheap and more likely to survive winds.

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