Originally Posted by buckdropper

Kill a woodpecker and go to jail........ as stated above seek DEC help before you shoot/trap/pound the little fella. People are so petty and have little or no respect for wildlife around them. Sit back relax allow him to do what he does and if it is damaging something setup a motion activated water nozzle and he will soon part ways....

Originally Posted by Average-Joe

Woodpeckers are classified as migratory, nongame birds and are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The red-c0ckaded woodpecker (Picoides borealis) and the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) are on the Endangered Species list and are thus offered full protection. When warranted, woodpeckers other than the endangered species can be killed but only under a permit issued by the Law Enforcement Division of the US Fish and Wildlife Service upon recommendation of USDA-APHIS-Animal Damage Control personnel. Generally, there must be a good case to justify issuance of a permit.
Woodpeckers are commonly protected under state laws, and in those instances a state permit may be required for measures that involve lethal control or nest destruction. Other methods of reducing woodpecker damage do not infringe upon their legal protection status. Threatened or endangered species, however, cannot be harassed.