Woodpeckers attacking electricity poles in a Co Clare town have caused 11 power cuts to weary householders in little over a year. According to ESB Networks, the outages have been linked to “damage of electricity poles caused by woodpecker activity". The Great Spotted Woodpecker migrated over from the UK some 20 years ago, due to a growing population and lack of territories to nest. “Electricity companies across the world, including Europe and Asia, have had to deal with this since the invention of electricity. Birdwatch Ireland also added that if any member of the public spots a Great Spotted Woodpecker across the country, to report it to their findings on https://www.bto.org/get-involved/volunteer/projects/birdtrack.

Source: Irish Examiner February 11, 2026 20:07 UTC