How do we stop woodpeckers from damaging our HOA siding and trim?

By OurHOA · General information · Revised October 28, 2026

How HOA boards stop woodpecker holes in siding and trim: protected-bird rules, insect checks, netting and repairs, timing, and when a federal permit applies.

Part of the HOA board handbook: vendors, projects and upkeep.

The short answer

Woodpeckers are protected native birds, so the fix is to make the building less useful to them, not to remove the bird. Find out why it is pecking (food, a nest or drumming), check the wood behind the holes for insects, hang netting or flashing over the spots it uses, and patch and paint holes quickly. Start as soon as the drumming starts, because a woodpecker that settles on a building is hard to move. Lethal control needs a federal permit and is a last resort that few associations will ever qualify for. State law and your governing documents can change the details, and this guide is general education, not legal advice.

Know the legal limits first

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Migratory Bird Treaty Act protects more than a thousand native species, woodpeckers included, along with their nests and eggs. Protection does not depend on whether the species migrates. The agency's woodpecker page describes a 2015 Wisconsin case where a pest control company owner paid $4,185 in fines and restitution for killing 108 woodpeckers for about 30 customers. The customers hired him; he paid. Texas: Parks and Wildlife Code 64.002(a) makes it an offense to kill or possess a nongame bird or to disturb or destroy its eggs, nest or young. Unlike feral pigeons and starlings under 64.002(b), woodpeckers get no exception. Florida: the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says a permit is required to take any bird protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, even when it is damaging property. Colorado: Colorado State University Extension notes that woodpeckers are protected under both federal and state law. So nobody on the board, the staff or a vendor crew should shoot, trap or poison a woodpecker, or pull an active nest, without a permit in hand.

Figure out why the bird is there

The fix depends on the reason, so watch for a few mornings and write down what you see. Drumming. Loud, rapid hammering on a resonant surface, such as a gutter, chimney cap, light post or hollow siding, to claim territory or attract a mate. Colorado State says drumming is most common in spring, in early morning and late afternoon, and usually ends by July 1. It is noisy but often does little damage. Feeding. Scattered or clustered holes where the bird is digging for insects. The Fish and Wildlife Service says insect damage in siding or trim may be the real problem, and names carpenter bees among the insects woodpeckers hunt. Colorado State adds that birds mostly hammer houses for insects in the first two years after construction. Nesting. One deeper hole with a cavity behind it, usually started in early spring, though the Fish and Wildlife Service says some birds drill in fall. Rotting wood draws cavity nesters. The species matters too. In Colorado, the northern flicker does most of the damage to homes. Colorado State lists cedar, rough pine, redwood and some synthetic stucco as the siding most often hit.

Fix the cause behind the holes

Before you patch, have someone probe the wood around the holes. If the bird is feeding, there is food in there. Carpenter bee tunnels in fascia and trim are a common reason, and our guide on handling carpenter bees in HOA wood trim covers the treatment and plugging steps. Soft or punky wood means rot, which also draws nesting birds, and that board needs replacing, not filling. If an inspection finds insects, treat them first, then repair. Patching over an active infestation leaves the food supply in place and the bird comes back. Ask your pest control vendor to look at the damaged areas on its next visit and to put what it finds in writing, with photos, so the board can decide who pays under the maintenance chart.

Block, repair and scare, in that order

Exclusion. The Fish and Wildlife Service calls physical exclusion the most effective method: taut bird netting hung from the outer eaves down the wall. Colorado State's fact sheet says to fasten the netting under the eaves, run it down the wall about 3 inches out from the siding and secure it near the ground so the bird cannot reach the surface. Netting tears, so inspect it every spring. Perches and drumming spots. Cover the perch near the damage with metal flashing. For drumming on a hollow wall, Colorado State suggests filling the space behind the siding with expanding foam to deaden the sound. Repairs. Fill and paint holes right away. For large holes, Colorado State recommends covering them with aluminum flashing or metal sheathing painted to match. Scare devices. Results are mixed. Colorado State lists reflective Mylar strips, pinwheels and hanging pie tins, and suggests using two or more at once on a stubborn bird. It calls owl effigies generally unsuccessful. Skip sticky repellent gels. Both the Fish and Wildlife Service and Colorado State warn against them because they can trap or kill birds.

If there is an active nest

Leave it alone. Colorado State says a nest may be removed only when it holds no eggs or young, and the Fish and Wildlife Service says to wait until the young have left for good, usually around midsummer. Mark the hole on your photo log, then fill it and net or flash the area as soon as the nest is empty. One way to keep a bird off the building is to give it somewhere else to nest. Colorado State gives dimensions for a flicker nest box: about 6 by 6 inches inside, 22 to 26 inches tall, a 2 1/2-inch entrance hole 16 to 20 inches above the floor, filled with sawdust and mounted 6 to 20 feet up near the damaged area. Cover every hole on the building at the same time.

The depredation permit, and why it is rare

The Fish and Wildlife Service treats a depredation permit as a last resort for some species. Its woodpecker page says permits are issued only when non-lethal methods have been tried and failed, and the applicant must show strong justification, such as significant structural damage causing economic hardship. Colorado State adds that flicker control permits are generally not issued from May 15 through August 15, and that a USDA Wildlife Services assessment (Form 37, requested at 866-487-3297) must go with the application. For a board, that means documenting everything: dated photos of the damage, the netting and repair invoices, and notes on what the bird did afterward. Most associations will never need a permit, but a clean file is what an application would rest on, and it also shows owners the board took the problem seriously.

A sample timeline and owner notice

Late winter: walk the buildings, photograph old holes and gutters with dents, and add netting to the spring maintenance bid for buildings hit last year. First drumming in spring: inspect within a week, check the wood for insects, hang netting or flashing on that wall. Spring to midsummer: if a nest is active, mark it and wait. After fledging: fill holes, paint, and close the cavity. Fall: repair any remaining holes before winter moisture gets in. Notice wording you can adapt: 'A woodpecker is damaging siding on Building B. Woodpeckers are protected by federal law, so the association is installing netting and repairing the holes rather than removing the bird. Please do not try to trap or harm it, and do not put sticky products on the siding. If you hear drumming or see new holes on your building, email the board at [email] with the location and a photo.' Our guide on planning an HOA siding replacement project covers material choices if a building keeps getting hit. A board that is already replacing cedar siding should weigh how often each option attracts woodpeckers before it votes.

Sources

These guides are general education for HOA boards and residents, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules vary by state and by your community's governing documents - check with a professional for your situation.

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