For hikers in the national forest, this sound may be music to their ears, but to homeowners, the sound can be bothersome. We get a lot of calls this time of year about how to discourage them, said Tracy Predmore, a customer service representative for the Colorado Division of Wildlife. There are several methods designed to frighten them away, but many people find it easier to coexist with the birds by putting up a nest box to lure them away from the siding on their house, she said. Most woodpeckers feed on wood-boring insects, insects on trees and the ground, vegetable matter, berries or tree sap.
Woodpeckers can cause property damage by drilling holes in wood siding and eaves.
The birds especially like to hammer on wooden shingles, cedar or redwood siding, metal or plastic gutters, television antennas and light posts because these materials produce loud, hollow sounds. Drumming is most common during early morning and late afternoon, and usually ends by July 1. The northern flicker is the most common member of the woodpecker family in Colorado. It is identified in-flight by a yellow or salmon tint under the wings and tail feathers. Northern flickers have black spots on a tannish-white breast and belly.