A method to deter Syrian woodpeckers from drilling holes in plastic irrigation pipes

Syrian woodpeckers (Dendrocopos syriacus) damage plastic irrigation pipes in orchards and telephone cables by drilling holes in them. The aim of this study was to find a method to prevent such damage. The work was carried out in four localities along the coastal plain of Israel. A continuous follow-up showed that damage was minimal during winter and rose sharply towards summer. A collapsible irrigation pipe which inflates only when water flows into it was found to be inappropriate because holes were drilled in it. Yellow-painted pipes were found to have a deterrent effect on woodpeckers in that no holes were found, whereas the damage in the control pipes was maintained and followed the regular annual pattern.