Woodpeckers Also Love Stucco and EIFS Siding

There are a few reasons that woodpeckers choose to use the siding of your home as a sounding board. It’s the time of year when these little Northern Flickers make their entrance back into the Colorado nature scene, and they don’t come quietly. Make sure woodpeckers aren’t hammering away at your stucco siding because by the time the season is over, these little birds can cause quite a bit of damage.

Colorado woodpecker season is March to June

Moving into a new home to-do llist

Prevent woodpecker damage to your stucco and EIFS clad homes by providing nesting boxes for the woodpeckers.

From March to June, woodpeckers start to look for food, love, and shelter. Each of those things requires pecking away at trees, electric posts, wood siding, wooden eaves, and yes, even your stucco and EIFS siding. You just never know why a woodpecker is attracted to your siding, rather than a nearby tree, most likely it’s because your stucco or EIFS siding doesn’t feel or sound that much different than a dead tree in the forest. This is bad new for homeowners, and you should keep an eye out for any signs of woodpeckers or woodpecker damage, like small holes created by repeated hammering with a long sharp beak. 

Luckily a woodpecker is easy to spot. It’s hard to ignore the drumming on your walls as the woodpecker searches for food, establishes a territory to build a nest, or to play the sexy drum beats intended to attract a mate.

This springtime ritual can create deep holes in your stucco, EIFS, wood siding, or eaves that you will need to repair before the next rain. The biggest problem with damaged siding is the potential for water penetration. The more quickly you can get rid of woodpeckers, the less damage they are able to create and the easier it will be to fix.

Woodpecker damage to stucco might allow water to penetrate and damage your home

Signs of woodpecker damage to stucco and EIFS clad homes in Colorado

The Northern Flicker mating season is from March to June. Make sure they don’t try to move into your stucco walls when they find a mate.

If a woodpecker sets its sight on your siding, act quickly. They are territorial creatures, so if you let them stick around for too long they will try to fight you for their new found territory. Especially if they see your stucco as a potential nesting site.

Most wildlife experts recommend simply scaring the woodpecker away with loud noises or “fake birds” hanging from your window sills or gutters, but this may not be enough if the little lass or lad has already gotten comfortable.

Repairing the holes immediately will also discourage the woodpecker from returning. And you could even invest in some woodpecker nesting boxes, placing them on nearby trees hoping to entice the birds away from your home, but still keep them in the neighborhood for your bird watching pleasure.

Stucco home inspection specialist for The Front Range and Mountain Communities of Colorado

If you already see signs of woodpecker damage in your stucco, EIFS, or wood siding, schedule an inspection from a stucco inspection specialist in your area to assess the damage and get the best solution for repairs.