Starling mesh size?? (1 Viewer)

[anna2239]

Hi,
I was thinking of constructing a wire guardian for my suet and mealworms to keep out the starlings (I've stopped offering both as they would eat everything and wake me up at 6 in the morning fighting with each other).
I was going to use some mesh to construct one (I don't like the green ones I've seen online and they're a bit pricey and I've seen quite a lot of threads where people have said certain feeders aren't really starling proof) but what mesh size would keep them out?
They sell these http://www.theonlinegardener.com/categories.asp?cat=119 at my local DIY shop and I was thinking of getting one but they seem be either 1/2", 1" or 2". 2"/50mm would be too big I think as Starling nest boxes have holes of 45mm. But would 1" be to small? The guardians I've looked at online tend to have measurements like 3cmx7cm to keep out starlings. I want to let in birds like robins, bluetits etc. but no starlings.
I could get the 1/2" stuff and cut out a hole of 1 1/2" (38mm) but would that be too big? Anybody have any experience with this stuff?

 

[hil5]

hi

My mealworm feeder has holes 5cm high by 3cm wide. It allows sparrows, robins, tits in. It occassionally lets in very young starlings but this is only a problem for about a week, the starlings soon grow. Any smaller and I don't think robins would find it so easy.

I use the CJ guardian feeder which I'd recommend.

what I'd really like is a mealworm feeder just for blue tits. I'm told they need 1 inch holes but have never thought of an easy to make design and is easy to clean.

 

[neilgunton]

The dog cage we bought to protect the sparrows in our yard has wires 3.5 cm apart. Starlings couldn't get through at first, but now some of them have learned to squeeze themselves through. The gaps are not square, though - they are much longer between wires in one axis. So I don't know if 3.5 cm square would do it... just saying, they do seem to fit themselves through 3.5 cm in at least one dimension.

 

[anna2239]

Thanks for the information guys. If 3.5cm is too big, I don't think my idea of 3.75 will work. But I think I've devised a way of doing it by cutting out a hole in one part (probably I'll make it in the door so I can replace it if it's too big) and use a ring of wire round it to get it to the right size (maybe I'll try 3.2cm as that is the diameter of the holes on housesparrow nest boxes). It's hard to explain but if I make one in the next few weeks I'll post some pics (if it's successful anyway).
Or if that doesn't work, I could try attaching something like this http://www.birdfood.co.uk/product_details.php?area_id=2&group_id=14&nav_id=42&prd_id=404
to the hole.

Thanks again,
Anna