How are starlings able to evict larger birds from nests?? (1 Viewer)

[scuba0095]

I have read claims of starlings having a bad inpact on larger birds like wood ducks and flickers and even kesterals! HOw is the tiny starling able to evict such larger stronger birds?

 

[fugl]

I have read claims of starlings having a bad inpact on larger birds like wood ducks and flickers and even kesterals! HOw is the tiny starling able to evict such larger stronger birds?

My guess is that it's a combination of factors, one being that starlings are very persistent--they have to be since they're unable to excavate their own nest holes & so have to compete with other species for the limited supply. Another is that nest holes (& boxes) are by their very nature comparatively easy to defend, especially for good-sized birds like starlings with long sharp bills. So all the starling has to do is wear the "owner" down by constantly sneaking into the nest hole &, once in, not leaving without a fight. I think this is what happened at a flicker nest in an old willow trunk I was keeping tabs on a few years ago. Everything seem to be fine until the hole was finished, at which point a pair of starlings turned up & there was non-stop skirmishing between the 2 species from then on in with, on at least one occasion, a starling inside the hole & the flickers outside. After a few days of this, the flickers had disappeared & the starlings were in undisputed possession.

 

[sandtiger]

I have read claims of starlings having a bad inpact on larger birds like wood ducks and flickers and even kesterals! HOw is the tiny starling able to evict such larger stronger birds?

Size isn't everything, starlings are known for their aggression and tenacity. It wouldn't surprise me if a pair of starlings chased a larger bird away from a nest and destroyed their eggs.

 

[scuba0095]

yeah i know about starlings being very aggressive its just flickers are also large aggresive birds and their beaks are so strong I was a bit shocked when I read it!

I would of thought a flicker would just kill a starling that went into its nest hole

Same with a kesteral which is a BOP

I also watched a common grackle displace starlings in my yard

 

[sandtiger]

yeah i know about starlings being very aggressive its just flickers are also large aggresive birds and their beaks are so strong I was a bit shocked when I read it!

I would of thought a flicker would just kill a starling that went into its nest hole

Same with a kesteral which is a BOP

Being a predator doesn't necessarily mean you're aggressive. Crows, jays and other smaller birds will harass and even kill BOP.

 

[fugl]

yeah i know about starlings being very aggressive its just flickers are also large aggresive birds and their beaks are so strong I was a bit shocked when I read it!

I would of thought a flicker would just kill a starling that went into its nest hole

Same with a kesteral which is a BOP

I also watched a common grackle displace starlings in my yard

I imagine starlings are too agile to be in much danger from a big clumsy bird like a flicker. I don't know if they'd have much to fear from a kestrel either, which normally takes much smaller prey. And, of course, starlings are non-native so it wouldn't be surprising if some indigenous species were poorly equipped to cope with them.

 

[scuba0095]

are there any cavity nesting birds that can deal with starlings easily? I wonder if grackles can?

 

[Bopo]

As mentioned above, starlings are quite aggressive, I wonder if theirs a youtube video of a starling defending its nests :-O ?

 

[fugl]

are there any cavity nesting birds that can deal with starlings easily?

I don't know, but maybe Tree Swallows (which are also notoriously aggressive)? Also perhaps House Wrens which are famous for destroying the eggs and nestlings of other species.

 

[Stephen C]

HOw is the tiny starling able to evict such larger stronger birds?

It's all to do with the so-called 'fight or flight' instinct, where birds at the point of attack have a choice to make. Stay and fight or fly off and live to fight another day. The latter is the usual choice of most animals as the consequences of injury are too high to risk.

The tendency towards one or the other will vary in different bird species and it´s not necessarily linked to size.

Starlings have a very high propensity to 'fight' and they will tend to attack birds that have a high tendency to 'fly off'. They will learn which species are easy targets probably the hard way, or may be some is passed on through colonial know-how.

Exactly the same process with human bullies. Hope that helps.

All the best

 

[maersk]

ive seen a blue jay kill a starling at a birdfeeder, so im guessing they dont mess with them.

 

[bradinho]

Also a BOP cannot affoord any injury at all as it needs to be at its peak physical fitness in order for it to hunt and therefore survive - A similar scenario can be seen when a cheetah makes a kill.
Other factors include a mob vs a single bird ... why do you think the BOP flies away?

 

[scuba0095]

Also a BOP cannot affoord any injury at all QUOTE]

lol

say to a GHO when it hunts a mink, skunk or large snake

Or

a goshawk crashing through the trees constantly preying on crows and other aggressive large corvids

or
A golden&or bald eagle that constantly go after and will fight foxes and even coytoes over their kilss

MAny BOP throw this theroy right out the window I can go on and on about BOP that have an extremly dangerous dangerous prey item they are constantly preying on

Most BOP are pretty bad tempered and will fight with another animal very easy over something thats not even that big

WHen it comes to their nest most BOP are also firece protectors and put corvids and gulls to shame as they will even bind/kill a predator trying to eat their eggs chick or just bothers them at nest

when a bird is faced with a nest robber usually getting that predatory out of their face is what they are aiming to achieve but if its a BOP murder is often on their mind, as they often try to kill the predatory robbing their nest

BOP usually fly away because they can't hunt if birds are dive bombing them and screaming at them giving their hiding spot away, they dont move away out of fear or respect for the other bird

2 times ive seen a BOP Kill I will tell u about

one was a red tail hawk that killed a ring billed gull on top of house, THe other flock dive bombed the hawk relentlessly but he didnt care he had his kill and was gonna eat it no matter what the gulls do! a few crows even got in on the action the hawk still did not budge he got his food so their pestering didnt mean anything anymore

Another time i saw a coopers hawk attack a single grackle in a flock of them, the flock swooped at the cooper hawk but he had a grackle to kill and eat so he didnt care what they did he got his meal

 

[scuba0095]

also like to mention the only time ive really seen a BOP show much respect to another species of bird is if that bird is bigger then they are

Like a buzzard will show respect to a raven

 

[OK_Scissortail]

After reading this thread yesterday and going out birding today I came across the exact circumstance the original poster was talking about. I first saw a Northern Flicker arrive at a pole and enter in a hole. Immediately a Starling arrived on the scene and went in the hole and chased the Flicker out. The Flicker was not be out done though since there was more then one hole on the pole. It took the lower home while the starling kept guard over the above home, never leaving while the Flicker was there. One could tell this argument had gone on since before I had arrived. I have posted photos below.

Photo 1 - the Northern Flicker - good guy
Photo 2 - Starling- the unhappy guy
Photo 3 -the Stand Off
Photo 4 -Flicker checking out home below
Photo 5 - Flicker satisfied with home

 

[Stephen C]

top photos

Scissortail

In a word, superb. Many thanks for taking the trouble to post these. Most enjoyable.

All the best

 

[OK_Scissortail]

Thank you Stephen, I had fun doing the post and thought it was amazing that after reading the thread I came upon the situation. Added amazement in that it was the two birds, the Starling and the Flicker, that was mentioned in the post that I saw arguing over who was going to live in what hole. I wish I could have captured the whole argument between them but hopefully the photos show enough.

Thanks again.

 

[scuba0095]

I read the common myna is so aggressive that it easily displaces starlings in areas where both birds are found together!

merek wow a blue jay kill a stalring? Must been a young just fledged starling! How did it manage to do it?

 

[Himalaya]

When you say show respect what do you mean? Buzzards must be very tough birds as I have heard about large groups of corvids and upto 5 Ravens if not more on a regular basis attacking them yet the Buzzards survive.

also like to mention the only time ive really seen a BOP show much respect to another species of bird is if that bird is bigger then they are

Like a buzzard will show respect to a raven

 

[Himalaya]

People underestimate birds of prey.

Large Owls such as Eagle Owls can take Fox and other large birds of prey too such as Buzzards and Goshawk.

Corvids do not compare in aggression to a Goshawk. Goshawks prey on all large Corvid species including Ravens. Goshawks attack humans which come too close to their nest.

Buzzards are not very aggressive but they have the will power to counter mobs of corvids as large as Ravens. Buzzards too attack humans.

Even Sparrowhawks have turned on the larger Carrion Crow and killed them.

Peregrines have also been known to take larger prey items such as Grey Heron, GBB Gulls, Ravens.

Their are even reports of Kestrels driving away large Corvids including Ravens from nests to take their place.

Its a funny world is nt it?

Also a BOP cannot affoord any injury at all QUOTE]

lol

say to a GHO when it hunts a mink, skunk or large snake

Or

a goshawk crashing through the trees constantly preying on crows and other aggressive large corvids

or
A golden&or bald eagle that constantly go after and will fight foxes and even coytoes over their kilss

MAny BOP throw this theroy right out the window I can go on and on about BOP that have an extremly dangerous dangerous prey item they are constantly preying on

Most BOP are pretty bad tempered and will fight with another animal very easy over something thats not even that big

WHen it comes to their nest most BOP are also firece protectors and put corvids and gulls to shame as they will even bind/kill a predator trying to eat their eggs chick or just bothers them at nest

when a bird is faced with a nest robber usually getting that predatory out of their face is what they are aiming to achieve but if its a BOP murder is often on their mind, as they often try to kill the predatory robbing their nest

BOP usually fly away because they can't hunt if birds are dive bombing them and screaming at them giving their hiding spot away, they dont move away out of fear or respect for the other bird

2 times ive seen a BOP Kill I will tell u about

one was a red tail hawk that killed a ring billed gull on top of house, THe other flock dive bombed the hawk relentlessly but he didnt care he had his kill and was gonna eat it no matter what the gulls do! a few crows even got in on the action the hawk still did not budge he got his food so their pestering didnt mean anything anymore

Another time i saw a coopers hawk attack a single grackle in a flock of them, the flock swooped at the cooper hawk but he had a grackle to kill and eat so he didnt care what they did he got his meal