starlings

I do not think the use of alarm calls is suitable for this instance. They are meant for situations where starlings may pose a threat to agriculture, air safety and other genuine reasons. Alarm calls also alert other birds to potential danger so it is quite likely that you would end up scaring off other species as well. Another point to consider is your neighbours, distress calls are not pleasant noises to hear at the best of times, to hear that on a loop in a garden would not go down very well and you may well end up getting a visit from an environmental health officer with regards to noise nuisance.

Starlings can be noisy and boisterous with huge appetites so i can understand your comments. However, starlings need all the help they can get in the UK as they are a red listed species due to recent population declines. At all feeders there will be a bit of scuffling and maybe some of the smaller species won't get to feed all the time but as long as you have a few feeders around the garden at different level, the other species should be able to do just fine and will not be scared off by starlings. What you are seeing is perfectly normal behaviour, sit back and enjoy it.

The starlings are songbirds as well, they are fantastic mimics and they are one of the most amazing looking birds in the UK, their irredescent plumage with speckles like stars put many more exotic species in the shade. Rather than discourage them take the time to watch them closely and i hope you will be pleasantly surprised by what you see.

We love starlings at the RSPB and i hope you can learn to as well.

Hi William

I think the problem at present is the amount of young that are being fed. It seems I must be feeding all the starlings for miles around (which I'm not of course) but they can eat a large amount of food between them.

I have to admit I like starlings so I don't get to upset.

I think the problem will change once the young move on.

Robert

I wonder if anyone ever found a copy of the distress call. I too have a problem with starlings. I really don't like disturbing the birds but they return every year to next in 2 locations in my eaves. Two years ago they cost me a fair bit of money when a section of soffits collapsed due to rot and the weight of their nest which had accumulated over the years.

I am now really worried about the damge that they could be causing as I know that they have returned to the same nest locations every year for at least the past ten years. In some years the nest more than once.

They are also scoffing my sunflower seeds and the goldies and chaffs are struggling to push them off the feeders!

HI

I have to agree with Lolly. On the whole Starlings are happier feeding on the ground so if you were to provide separate food for them of the types suggested the smaller birds will get a look in too.

Also I notice when a cat enters the garden and a Starling sounds the alarm, all birds disappear so the alarm would be counter productive.

Sarah

I have a lot of starlings too, but have never known them frighten off any of my smaller birds. In fact just today a starling adult was chased off by a sparrow. The blackbirds also see them off. Starlings are useful as they see danger before other species, and their alarm calls warn the smaller birds to disappear quickly. I also notice that my starlings seem to bring other birds in with them. My sparrows certainly follow them.

My only gripe is their appetite! I also try to feed them in a corner of the garden away from the other birds, with their own supply of suet, seed and mealworms. This works to a point, and keeps them relatively happy. I do have to replenish rather a lot at the moment!

My advice is to relax and enjoy the spectacle. They are really beautiful looking birds. Take a closer look.