stop pilated woodpecker from pecking house

We've had a pilated woodpecker pecking at our house for the last week and it's getting to be a problem. At first it was cool seeing him peck but he quickly started to do some damage and now we just want him gone. I've seen him at several locations and I don't think there is a nest anywhere close by. Why is it attacking our house?

Woodpeckers typically feed on insects that ware buried in wood. Their pecking reveals food for them and their keen sense of smell and hearing allows them to target pests which are cannot be seen. I suspect you could have some kind of insect problem like carpenter ants, carpenter bees, some kind of beetle, etc. that is living up under the siding of the house. Such infestations might be naked to the eye but a foraging woodpecker will quickly find them.

To stop this destructive pattern you can try several things. Ideally if you are able to locate just what the bird is feeding on you could attempt to control that pest which in turn would force the woodpecker to forage elsewhere. If you are not able to find the source or insect he is pursuing, try some of the repellents we have listed in our Woodpecker Control article. The Bird Discs work well as does the Attack Spider. Both can cover about 100-200 sq/ft and are easy to install but you may have to set these up on several sides of the home since they'll only work when the woodpecker gets close enough to them. If the activity is limited to a small area repelling him is usually easy to do but if the whole house is under attack, it will take several of each to get adequate coverage.