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Will starlings nesting above a house martins deter them?

Hello,

I've recently discovered a pair of starlings that have started to build a nest right above the situation of an artificial house martin cup that I put up last year. The house martins found it last summer as there is a colony nearby. They didn't breed there but expressed interest and I was hoping this year they would nest. Will the starlings be unfriendly neighbours and chase them off when they arrive in the coming weeks. If so i might put up another one further away.

Many thanks

  • ItisaRobbo
    Possibly. Martins are determined, even if doomed to lose the site, so may well not be a problem. If you could, I'd not wait or risk it, and would put up another nest cup further along as that sounds a possibility from what you've written.
  • Swift1235467

    In reply to ItisaRobbo:

    thanks robbo
  • Swift1235467

    In reply to ItisaRobbo:

    I just had a thought, how far away from the starlings would I place the new nest if I got one.
  • ItisaRobbo

    In reply to Swift1235467:

    I would just be guessing, but martin nests here, put up by prev homeowners, are about 5-6ft apart. However, mud nests have been closer so distance for martins doesn’t appear an issue. Distance from starlings, as prev, might not be an issue either. Hard to imagine 6ft away being any issue at all.
  • Swift1235467

    In reply to ItisaRobbo:

    Hi robbo, shortly after your help I also emailed someone from House Martin conservation for information. I sent him some pictures of the site too. He thought they wouldn't be too much of an issue too. The roof has a very big overhang and the house martins would be a about a metre or so away. Also hopefully the starlings should be more or less fledged by the time the martins start to arrive. Nonetheless I am going to put up another cup that I've made. Should be fine.
  • Swift1235467

    In reply to ItisaRobbo:

    I also have another random question that I hope you could help me with... I have a small shed in my garden. It is about 2. 5 m high and about 3x3 metres floor space. I have put up a swallow bowl inside and left the door open to encourage them to nest. Do you think they would nest in a small building like this? I can't find anything online about this too.
  • ItisaRobbo

    In reply to Swift1235467:

    They would. I did contemplate that here, esp when we moved here and at the time I was very keen on having a swift/swallow/martin combo! Never got further than thinking about it though as swallows are barely seen in this area now. Holiday homes and other rural houses are occupied by people who aren't interested in wildlife and don't want birds getting in the way of entertaining outside.

    If you do still have swallows, worth a try. I deemed it not worth the expense as it would almost certainly not be found.

  • Swift1235467

    In reply to ItisaRobbo:

    Thanks robbo, there are quite a lot of swallows martins and swifts in the area so I think I could get all 3. The door has been open for a couple years for them but it's been a bit cluttered which I think has put them off so I've been having a good sort out in there as I have seen them going in and out before but they were just sussing out potential nest sites.
  • ItisaRobbo

    In reply to Swift1235467:

    Definitely worth a go!