Pesky Starlings (1 Viewer)

[TerryK]

I have about 15-20 starlings that visit my feeders every day and they are a nuicance. They can empty a 4 litre feeder in less than an hour! Most of the seed is cast off onto the ground in their search for whatever it is they want in the mixture. I tried changing mixtures and I even went so far as switching to just sunflower seed but they still keep coming back. I no longer put out suet either. Any ideas as to how to dicourage they pests?

On a better note, whatever I changed seems to have attracted a large flock (20-30) of Redpoles with a few Purple Finches mixed in. I had no idea Repoles were so tame I can stand as close as 5 feet and they will land and feed without fear.

 

[ELAINER]

I have similar experiences with Starlings and Grackles every spring. So down comes the suet, no longer do I fill feeders with a mix (sunflower seeds, nuts, etc). I just keep the tube feeders - niger seed and a finch mix. To go a step further, if you have any trays on the tube feeders, take them off too. When I see my little squirrels, I'll just put some nuts on the ground - but only a little bit. In addition to them eating you out of house and home, they become very aggressive with other birds (usually because their young are near). I don't even want to tell you the stories about my goldfinches and the starlings. This will sound crazy, but when I see them coming (always seem to come in a bunch), I make myself known to them through the window and try and scare them off. Sometimes it works! They're pretty smart. But lessening the food they like is a good start.
Lucky you and your new redpole visitors!

 

[deborah4]

I too have 15-20 Starling visiting my fat feeders. However, they are beautiful birds to watch and study in social groups. In the UK, they are still an amber list species but I appreciate the situation may be different in the States.

(Un?)fortunately having up feeders attracts birds, mine also attract ferral pigeons and seagulls but they too are feeding because they are hungry and also mop up under the feeders when the Starling have made a mess!

Birds are coming into your garden, presumably because they are hungry - it's hard to be subjectively choosy which particular species we want to feed, and I'm not even sure we should be to be honest.

The only drawback is hygiene - Starlings make a mess of droppings, as do pigeons and seagulls, so the patio has to be scrubbed several times a week.

Incidently, squirrels are also considered 'pests', some people use nasty means to deter them, others, like to feed them - in terms of Garden Visitors, it's all subjective IMV

 

[Katherine]

What I usually do is give them half a minute to feed. I stand there at the window with my wristwatch and when the 30 seconds are up, I make a noise like shutting a window or clapping, and they fly off very quickly indeed!

 

[Mary Evelyn]

I have just stood watching the Starlings here along with the Sparrows and Collared Doves and they are all welcome.

When we have preferences for certain birds,it is tough and always best to use feeders that are Starling proof.I have 3 which work great for the small birds such as Finches,Sparrows and the Tit family but the Starlings need to feed also, so i provide for them too.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

I have just stood watching the Starlings here along with the Sparrows and Collared Doves and they are all welcome.

When we have preferences for certain birds,it is tough and always best to use feeders that are Starling proof.I have 3 which work great for the small birds such as Finches,Sparrows and the Tit family but the Starlings need to feed also, so i provide for them too.

Starlings are introduced, non-native, and invasive in North America. They take the food and the nesting spaces of many native birds. They also spread diseases among native birds.
I shoot them. Depending where in Ontario you live, you may consider harassing them or shooting them.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

Starlings are introduced, non-native, and invasive in North America. They take the food and the nesting spaces of many native birds. They also spread diseases among native birds.
I shoot them. Depending where in Ontario you live, you may consider harassing them or shooting them.

You do enjoy popping your gun don't you.

Thank goodness you don't live near my location, or i would also be tempted to buy a gun .Never thought of it before reading your post.

 

[deborah4]

Starlings are introduced, non-native, and invasive in North America. They take the food and the nesting spaces of many native birds. They also spread diseases among native birds.
I shoot them. Depending where in Ontario you live, you may consider harassing them or shooting them.

That may well be, Luca, as I indicated in my first post - but advocating the shooting and harassment of wild birds on a wild bird forum is insensitive regardless of their origin and yours.

For anyone interested in controlling ''pests'' there are HUMANE ways of doing so:

http://www.ohiowildlifecenter.org/HWS/

 

[Otto McDiesel]

So, i trap starlings. Then what? How far do i have to drive them and where?

 

[joannec]

What I usually do is give them half a minute to feed. I stand there at the window with my wristwatch and when the 30 seconds are up, I make a noise like shutting a window or clapping, and they fly off very quickly indeed!

I used to do this. Whenever I saw starlings on the feeders I would bang on the window to scare them off so the "more attractive" birds could have the food but now I just leave them to it. I now take the view that they need the food as much as the others. Besides, the starlings really seem to only come when it's frosty. So the "nice" birds are getting most of it anyway.

 

[Mary Evelyn]

So, i trap starlings. Then what? How far do i have to drive them and where?

Land of Hell Benders come to mind.I would suggest you don't feed the birds period as they are much better off elsewhere.Feeding brings down all the birds and it seems you have too much fun shooting, rather than feeding.I feel the other birds could do so much better anywhere else but certainly NOT on your patch.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

Land of Hell Benders come to mind.I would suggest you don't feed the birds period as they are much better off elsewhere.Feeding brings down all the birds and it seems you have too much fun shooting, rather than feeding.I feel the other birds could do so much better anywhere else but certainly NOT on your patch.

I have 5 species of birds on my land listed as endangered by the Federal Government and i actively manage my properties to protect them and increase their populations. Additionally, i manage my land to protect an endangered ecosystem: the tallgrass prairie. We have many insects and plants found nowhere else in the state. I organize many school visits to introduce kids to wildlife management and conservation.

The gun (selective control), the match (prescribed fire), the plow (removing weeds and seeding) and the cow (controlled grazing) are basic tools for wildlife conservation. Hellbenders are large amphibians in serious decline because of water quality issues (fertilizer runoff) and soil erosion. I managed my farm to eliminate these; thus i call my land The Land of Hellbenders.

Your urban ignorance and narrowmindedness is not amusing. Not to mention that you threat to get a firearm if i were closer to you.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

I feel the other birds could do so much better anywhere else but certainly NOT on your patch.

I don't have a patch. I have 3000 acres of carefully managed land to enhance survival of many rare and endangered species.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

So the "nice" birds are getting most of it anyway.

You would be surprised to find out that Mute Swans were introduced to Eastern United States by some ignorants. The Swans are very aggressive to other species of waterfowl and outcompete them while dabbling for food. Several species of waterfowl end up in poor physical condition because of the Swans. They are considered a pest by any wildlife manager or conservationist i ever talked to. Several states even hired people to kill them. But, the same ignorance, after many lawsuits, managed to get them protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty, even though they don't migrate.
It's not misguided feelings that will save wildlife. It's applied science. Sometimes that science needs to be applied with a gun. Ask the Nature Conservancy how they are protecting the Golden-cheeked Warbler or the Black-capped Vireo in Texas, or ask the National Audubon Society why they encourage people to hunt deer.

 

[dafi]

cant see the wood for the trees?
chop em all down.

 

[Otto McDiesel]

The gun (selective control), the match (prescribed fire), the plow (removing weeds and seeding) and the cow (controlled grazing) are basic tools for wildlife conservation.

I forgot the axe, speaking of trees. Though, we use 'dozers and chainsaws. We've left a band of trees 30 meters wide along the streams, but cut the rest of the trees and brush. We occasionally burn them to prevent intrusion into the prairie. Browsing by bison or goats would have helped, but we have none.

 

[Robert / Seattle]

This same thread is running in the "Food and Feeders" forum, with same author but different participants. The selective cull strategy was raised there as well, and seems to be regarded as a reluctant but necessary means to give native birds a better chance at survival. "Banging on the window" is fine if you're at the window ALL the time, otherwise, the perpetuation of invasives will continue to be the legacy of your attempts to feed wild, i.e. naturally occurring, birds.

Luca's arguments, above, are sound and compassionate. I would suggest that the remarks of some of the others, though perhaps well-intentioned, are naive and unrealistic. And to accuse him of being a trigger happy Bambi shooter is actually a bit mean spirited and unproductive. I further suspect that most serious and well-informed birders and naturalists recognize the occassional neccessity for "weeding the patch", as it were. May reason triumph over knee-jerk sentimentalism, for it's in the best interest of sound stewardship of the NATURAL world.

 

[joannec]

It's not misguided feelings that will save wildlife. It's applied science. Sometimes that science needs to be applied with a gun. Ask the Nature Conservancy how they are protecting the Golden-cheeked Warbler or the Black-capped Vireo in Texas, or ask the National Audubon Society why they encourage people to hunt deer.

Can I remind you that I was speaking of starlings which are native were I am. I'm more than happy to have them on my patch.

 

[christineredgate]

Okay.so Starlings are noisy,dirty,and pinch all the food from the smaller birds,but as to how someone can shoot them in cold blood,really is not the sign of a true bird lover.They are funny ,garrulous,cheeky,they also warn the other birds of impending danger,they are the sentinels and lookouts of the bird world.
Glad we do not have the negative thoughts which other countries do seem to show.

 

[OwlTalon]

OK, OK calm down everyone. All are entitled to our their own opinion. Ya love 'em or ya hate 'em, there doesn't seem to be much in between. Mary, it's nice to see that you care so much about all birds, I respect that. Luca, I also understand the situation you face, and let's face it, starlings can be a nuisance or even a danger to native birds. However, christineredgate's points are true too, they are amusing and pretty, and they do act as sentinels. The situation is different here than in Europe, so it may be hard to realize we don't all have the same experience. BTW, I'd be careful when talking about "negative feelings" that "other countries" have. Come one, let's not tear eachother apart, we're all birders right?

P.S. Joanne, what's "amber list" represent on your side of the pond? Also, Luca, what are the otehr endangered species on your land. Man, I'd love to ahve a "patch" like that!