Woodpeckers drum on multiple objects to attract mates, communicate territory, locate food, play, or exercise. The 1935 recordings included the typical kent call and a second call that Tanner described as conversational and usually occurring around a nest. Four Ivory-billed Woodpecker calls from the Singer Tract, showing the harmonic ladder and some of the variation in note shapes.

Spook them with noise.В This last simple deterrent (no purchase necessary!) only requires you to clap your hands, whoop, or make another loud noise to frighten the bird off if youвЂ™re outdoors and you see one.Д®ven if you successfully scare the woodpeckers away, the fact that these birds are frequent visitors to your yard could be an indicator of a bigger problem: an insect infestation. Other than humans, woodpeckers are the only creatures that make sounds with things other than part of their bodies. This is a sonogram showing kent calls from the 1935 recordings.

Opt for ones with reflective eyes, which look more realistic.

You can purchase readymade decoys on the internet ( view example on Amazon), at home improvement centers, and many local garden stores.

Set up a pretend predator.В Because owls prey on woodpeckers, artificial decoy owls often serve as effective deterrents.

The noise or motion these objects make in the wind may fool your woodpecker into thinking a predator is near and deter them from coming any closer. Set up a wind chime or a pinwheel near the spot.A mirror (or aluminum foilВ if youвЂ™re in a pinch) near the spot where a woodpecker has made its home will show the bird its reflection when it returns, startling it and potentially scaring it away from the area. Instead, use one of these four ideas that have been proven to help ward off woodpeckers safely. Always avoid solutions that could harm woodpeckers, such as sticky substances that trap the birds. To get rid of woodpeckers that have already made themselves at home in your yard, itвЂ™s best to use a technique that will scare them off.

Woodpecker sounds