The flickers like to hammer away at our house in the spring, presumably to stake out territory/flirt. Sigh. We didn’t have a ladder long enough to hang “scary” things from the eves and we just sort of live with the relatively minor damage they cause. BUT TheMisterT is WFH these days and he can’t seem to tune it out. I TOTALLY have learned to tune it out.
Annnnnyway, we looked into various ways to keep them away and the hawk silhouette thing seemed like one that would work even if we can’t reach the eves and with materials on hand. I printed out a clip art silhouette across several pieces of paper since the recommended size was at least 22" wingspan and at least 11" from head to tail. Then taped them together, cut it out and traced it onto pieces of polypropylene I had around.
Then I used 2.5" deck screws to attach the silhouettes to pieces of lath we had and then added half a wine cork to the back. This was to give them a little more dimension away from the siding - hoping that would make them that much more visible to the flickers.
Well, it turns out a ladder we bought from a neighbor who moved a year and a half ago is tall enough to reach the eaves! Oh, well! I installed one fauxhawk on each side of this corner of the house (where they do all their pecking) and so far they haven’t been back! Please cross your fingers for us and our siding.
Since I used screws, they will be easy to remove when it is time to restain the siding, which will be sooner than I’d like!
UPDATE: It’s been about a week and a half and these seem to be working! We’ve have a couple of short visits and we’ve noted that those are on very dark, cloudy days when we think maybe the flickers can’t see the faux hawks as well. But reducing from all dang day to a couple of times for just a few minutes is a win!
Last spring, a small bird kept battering our window, until he was bloody. Day after day. I think he was attacking his reflection as a rival. I tried a picture of a hawk, but I guess it was too small, thanks for mentioning whst size they should be.
Doves fly into the windows, too. I hung a ribbon on each (window, not bird), to flutter and dissuade, with limited success.
THANKS! My preference is for not having stuff attached to or hanging from the house for the most part, but these don’t bother me too much, esp if they continue to bother the flickers.
@steiconi We use a couple of different Window Alert products to keep the birdies from bashing the windows and their li’l noggins. They work pretty well!
@Bunny1kenobi HA! Anything is a craft material if you think it’s easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission! The polypropelene was mine to do with as I wish, though!
Yes! We have at least one neighbor who resided half their house with metal in order to stop the madness. They have pecked some holes over the last few years and the last time I looked into deterrents, I didn’t find something suitable to how high my ladders reached and what I was willing to dangle on the outside of my house. Hopefully these will keep working, as sad as it is to hope that the birds aren’t smart enough to figure it out.
The polypropelene was mine to do with as I wish, though!