Woodpecker Repellant

Woodpecker Repellant

'Bout a dozen, more or less, years ago I read an article
in an electric co-op monthly news magazine. Don't even
remember where it was. Well don't even really remember if it was a co-op magazine now since old-timers has set in for the long /short haul.
It really caught my attention because it was research done by someone or some company that had a terrible problem with woodpeckers destroying /damaging buildings and property.

The article said it cost them millions of dollars in repairs/replacement costs for the damages caused by them.
I got to thinking about our hunting cabin we built in 1983.
It had plywood walls and we painted it gray to match the mesquite brush bark in winter. The woodpeckers ravaged it from day one.

Every fall it was big time repairs to all the holes and the mouse/rat damage because it allowed them unlimited access through the woodpecker holes.
This company had used different colors to see which ones the birds didn't like. They had all these colors in descending order of effectiveness that repelled them.
"Hot Pink" was at the top of the list. I got to thinking to myself
"This is not going to go over with a macho bunch of deer hunters, but I was building a new cookhouse and myself a new bunkhouse."
This was taking place in my equipment yard at the plant. Heavy skids, bolted floor plates, all deck screw fasteners, steel strap supports, bulletproof windows. The walls of Jericho were paste compared to them. The wood peckers were, of course, Joshua.
I knew I was going to be ridiculed to the depths of "whatever", but I ordered up the hot pink paint anyway, had the men get out the airless sprayer and we did "hot pink" all the way.
Talk about laughs. Everyone who came into the yard hooted 'till it became the standing joke of Omaha Drive.
After awhile and a lot of explaining the word got around and I started to get positive feedback after telling them about the article.
One of the hunters worked for a plumbing supply company.
He said, "Heck, we've got some stuff from the fifties in an old warehouse, it's all different colors, I think there is some matching things there to go with the pink. There was a pink lavatory and shower stall for my bunkhouse. A pink, double sink for the cookhouse.
I took a guy fishing and caught a nice box of trout and redfish for a new gas range then hired a appliance repair guy to paint it pink. Looked like "Mary Kay",
bless her soul, did the accoutrements to our camp additions.
Came October and we moved all the new stuff in place at camp. Took the airless spray gun and painted everything hot pink after patching the existing holes.
This has been ten years now. We have not had a
woodpecker problem since. Sure less expensive than
shotgun shells and a year round camp woodpecker guard.
You just have to do a lot of explaining.
The water heater is white though. I need to do something about that, it clashes with my other stuff.
If you would like to see /witness this you can contact me at mark@cccoating.com for some pictures.

Mark Crider ©1991

Story ID:	3598
Written by:	Mark Crider (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Organization:	Corpus Christi Coating & Machine Inc.
Location:	Aguilares Texas U.S.A.
Year:	1991