Woodpeckers, will they peck even if there are no bugs in the surface they are pecking?

Woodpeckers drum against hard resonant surfaces to proclaim territories and attract their mate during mating season (spring). When there aren't any trees or even wood surfaces around the drumming can become even more bothersome as woodpeckers will resort to metal gutters, siding and spouts on a house or building.

The previous posters are right about the woodpeckers pecking on the siding.

My son had a house with cedar siding and the woodpeckers could not stay away from it. They pecked holes in the siding, but even worse, they pecked really BIG holes in it and made nests there.

When he bought the house, the former owner had nailed up old license plates on the house to cover the holes. He replaced the siding that had holes. Soon the woodpeckers returned to peck their holes. He tried hanging rubber snakes on the house; setting plastic owls around; and setting up speakers that made noise to scare them off. Nothing worked.

Around here, woodpeckers are "endangered" so you can't poison them or otherwise kill them.

Sonny broke the law and got a pellet gun. He shot at the woodpeckers with the pellet gun -- actually, he became a crack shot.

That eliminated the problem.

I think so. I was woken up very early one morning by a woodpecker pecking at my house. The house was brand new, and I don't think any bugs were in the siding.

woodpeckers peck holes to store nuts and seeds in.

go look in the holes.

I have seen them peck on aluminum and steel power line poles as well as metal buildings..and many many times..not just once...I've seen this do this for 30 minutes at a time..why I don't know..but they are not "product prejudice"

in the spring, in st louis the woodpeckers will hammer on metal rain downspouts.. some kind of mating ritual.....