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When woodpeckers start banging on your walls or roof, they are probably looking for insects to eat, storing nuts for winter, drilling a hole to make a nest, or communicating with other birds to establish territory or find a mate.

The size of the hole can help determine the reason for the pecking. Small irregular holes are a result of insect hunts. Acorn holes are more consistently sized and often fitted with a nut in the middle. Nest holes are large and have rounded edges. If the bird is pecking to mark its territory or attract a mate, it may leave dents rather than holes, and the noise will stop when the mating season starts in spring.

Chirping noises, droppings, scratches on the walls, and stains at entries and exits are all signs that you have bats in your house or, more specifically, your attic. Because bats are nocturnal, there’s a chance that bats have already infested your home before you start to see warning signs, so don’t delay if you notice anything. If you see a bat or two at sunrise or sunset near your property, that’s another telltale sign that they could be setting up shop inside your space.

Yes, predator decoys work to keep birds away, at least temporarily. However, if the decoy remains motionless in the same spot for a long enough time, the birds will eventually wise up and realize it's a fake. Keep changing the location of the predator decoy to ensure that the birds keep their guard up and maintain their distance.

Once the animals and their young are out of the house, remove the nest and locate any entry points. Some may be difficult to find because some animals can fit through very small holes. Once you’ve located as many entry points as possible, use materials such as metal or masonry to block off the entry. Ideally, you should choose materials that most animals cannot chew through. Create a one-way door or flap to allow animals to leave but not return. Additional methods include using repellants designed to make an area unappealing to the types of animals that find your home so inviting.