Woodpeckers

Had one here a few years back that liked to pound on my chimney vent stack cover to attract a mate.

Thankfully, he never attacked the house and either moved away or someone shot his dumb ass.

I've used cut down q-tips in my cheap chinese air rifle to chase squirrels out of my attic, but the range is pretty limited (10m?). Harmless if you miss, biodegradable even.

Funny, I've had the rapid tappping on the vent stack too. Used to drive the cat nuts. The sound coming into the house through the fireplace was incredible. Since it was a metal stack we didn't do anything, and it soon stopped.
I've seen major damage to stucco-over-styrofoam that must have cost a boatload of cash to repair on commercial bldgs.

I wonder if an airsoft rifle would deliver enough of a "go away" message without actually hurting the 'peckers? I wish I could afford a good airsoft rifle to bust some squirrel ass when they're on my bird feeders. I don't know where all the little bastards come from.

I was woke up by one beating on the side of my house... First thought was grab the shotgun and run out and blast him! Then I remembered I live in suburbia now and that probably wouldn't go over to well so I punched the outside wall where he was and he went away. But if this continues this will be a war he doesn't win... Sadly you will not get to read about it

i have one that pecks the metal cap on my chimney in the mornings--usually right at dawn. it sounds like a machine gun. i flip the damper a few times and yell "damn you, woodpecker!" and it goes away.

"Damn you, woodpecker!" I hadn't thought of that...next time!

I've had the same issue and it is truly annoying.
For the metal stack, I got THESE spike strips and zip-tied them around the cap.
For the birds that kept pecking at my trim in the front of the house, all you do is get some small nails and string some fishing line across them along the lip that the bird lands on/holds on to. About a half inch to an inch or so off the lip. For some reason, the fishing line touching the middle of their feet causes them to think they can't land. Plus, you can hardly tell anything is there unless you're looking for it.
Haven't had a peck since...my neighbors aren't so lucky though.