Woodpeckers and utility pole damage

Abstract

A number of methods have been tried to control woodpeckers from damaging utility poles. Decoys (e.g. owls and snakes) and load noises may have some effect initially but woodpeckers soon acclimate to these and return to their previous activities. Most birds do not hear in the ultrasonic frequency so ultrasonic or high frequency sound-producing devices are ineffective. Creating artificial nesting cavities is not likely to be effective in the long-term as cavity creating is a critical part of the breeding ritual and very few woodpecker species use nest boxes. To date, no chemical repellents have been developed that have proven to be both significantly effective and environmentally friendly, however the approach still holds promise as a cost-effective means to successfully mitigate woodpecker damage. Wire mesh is the most widely used barrier to prevent damage. When selecting a barrier, it is critical to know what woodpecker species are damaging poles. The most commonly used mesh is 19 gauge-galvanized wire in a 1/4-inch mesh pattern. Larger species such as the Pileated woodpecker can penetrate 19-gauge wire so a heavier gauge wire is required. It is becoming common for utilities to repair woodpecker cavities in wood poles with fillers in an effort to extend the pole's useful life. There are a variety of tools to calculate damage and determine if a pole can be repaired or must be replaced. A number of repair products are discussed in this paper.