Hi, can anyone answer my question about starlings. I have been doing a Tree Sparrow survey at a site where we have put up nest boxes. I was observing them this morning and a single starling came and clung onto the entrance to a couple of the boxes and seemed to be trying to get its head inside. The sparrows did not seem able to chase it away. I had noticed that two of the boxes had peck marks around the entrance hole which were not like the damage caused by woodpeckers.
Do starlings take eggs/chicks from nest boxes? If so is it common as I have not seen any starlings around the boxes before and I have been watching the site for 3 years? One of the boxes I believe did have eggs in. One box that had had Tree Sparrows in seems to have been abandoned.
I'm always look forward to seeing the wonderful green of the leaf buds coming into life you don't see any other time of year and the first swallow around the 15th April. Spring, Spring Spring.
Think it is probably Starlings just seeing if it is possible to use the box for nesting.
I had thought that but as it was only one bird would that still be the case. Unfortunatly if had picked on a Tree Sparrow nest box and the other box that had had them in seems to have been deserted.
I think its most likely that the starling was after the eggs/young birds inside the box... starlings will /do kill and eat baby birds but mostly its the eggs they are after...
It is also possable that the starling was eyeing the place up for possable nesting site, but i would think the nestbox enerance hole would need to be enlarged before hand...
you say one of the boxes had eggs in and now doesnt...well thats answers the question doesnt it... likely the starling returned when you wasaway and got to the nest and eggs.......... sad i know but thats mother nature for you...
dont just look enjoy and leave for others to share after you. we dont own the earth we just rent a small part of it....
Thanks for the answer Derek. Yes it is mother nature. I don't know if the Tree Sparrows had layed any eggs in the box they seem to have abondoned. They had been taking in nest material but that was all I had seen. Hopefully they will try again as the entrance to the box they had been in was not enlarged as some of the other boxes had been. I hope my other pair survive.