Starlings.

The numbers of starlings are increasing.

I have a load in my garden.

  • Hi Liverbirdy

    I too have loads!

    It seems to me that if you have them you have loads,do we ever get a lone starling I wonder!!!

    Rachel

    It's not always easy to hug a hedgehog.

    But that doesn't mean you shouldn't.

  • Never had a Starling in our garden ever  :-(

  • We had about 30 of the little ASOBS they disappeared for a while but are now returning

    Can see no reason for them to be on the amber list

    Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain.
    ~ Mark Twain

  • Starling numbers will be boosted during the late summer months as all the young should be out and about with the adult birds. The noisy and boisterous flocks are great fun to watch. Look out for them catching flying ants on warm afternoons

    If you have not been able to tempt stalings into your garden you could try a few things, a bird bath is a very attractive feature to starlings, they love bathing, you could also try a nest box or two on your house (above 3 m ideally) and manage your lawn so you have a mix of short and long grass allowing them to find various invertebrate food items throughout the year.

    You could also offer a variety of suet or fat based foods which seem extremely popular with starlings.

    Warden Intern at Otmoor.

  • JudiM, you make an interesting point there, surely such common birds should not be on the amber list!!?? You may be surprised to learn that they are in fact on the red list! It's true, starling numbers in the UK have plummeted in recent decades, declines are in excess of 50%, contributory factors seem to be a lack of insect food, loss of suitable nesting sites and changes in land management.

    Our Homes for Wildlife project identifies the starling as one of the key species in need of our help, have a read here about more things you can do.

    Warden Intern at Otmoor.

  • Hi, madpenquin

    yes we do get alot of starlings. i have put some photos on the RSPB gallery all so some other birds as well for people to look at like ,doves,, jackdaw ,and others .      

    Pat

  • Sorry to hear that, I put mealworms out and a load of seed and fatballs, and high energy fat squares, that attracts them.