A number of Calgary homes have been targeted by woodpeckers, including the northern flicker, and frustrated residents are taking steps to protect their property and their sleep.
The birds have made their mark on a number of buildings and holes are visible in wood siding in neighbourhoods throughout the city.
In an attempt to thwart the woodpeckers, homeowners in Edgemont have placed fake owls and dangled compact discs outside their homes.
The Parker family recently returned from vacation to discover a northern flicker had made its way into their home in Edgemont. The noise of the bird woke Gwyneth Parker and her husband on several occasions and a call to the Calgary Humane Society did not alleviate their issue.
“They informed me (flickers) are a protected bird,” said Gwyneth Parker. “You can’t damage them and, if there were babies, you can’t touch them.”
“You have to live through this.”
Unable to persuade their unwanted houseguest to vacate, the Parkers turned to a local pest removal service.
“I’ve seen the bird from the inside of the attic and it was a flicker for sure,” said Dave Wells of A P & W Services. “We just shooed it out, there was no harm to it at all.”
Once the flicker was removed, the hole in the exterior of the Parker’s home was covered with sheet metal and a non-harmful repellant was placed on the siding.
Wells, who has worked in pest removal for more than 38 years, says this is the first year he’s encountered northern flickers in Calgary and he’s already been called to roughly a dozen flicker complaints.
“I’ve never heard of them before, never seen them before and I’ve lived here almost 40 years.”
Most of the flicker calls have been in southwest Calgary and Wells believes the impacted homes follow an updated migratory path for the species.
Alberta Fish and Wildlife officials are reminding the public that it’s illegal to disturb any migratory bird, whether there’s a nest or not, from the beginning of spring until the end of summer. Under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, violators can face punishments of up to three years in prison or a fine of up to $1 million.
