Why are Starlings in Trouble?Įstimates vary, but according to RSPB studies numbers have decreased by 80% in the past 50 years. So even if from time to time, they can be challenging birds to have around, there are legal and ethical reasons to consider before we try to discourage them from our gardens or bird feeders.

Though still, a pretty common sight in our gardens starlings in the UK are in dramatic decline. Arriving just before Christmas in most years they usually start to disperse by February and colonies return to a more manageable size. The problems caused by larger flocks of starlings are short-lived though. So manmade structures like piers or multi-story car parks are favourites, as are large trees and groups of conifers. Starlings like to roost in sites with plenty of branches or ledges. If you have a starling roosting site in or near your garden droppings can certainly become a problem.ĭroppings from hundreds or even thousands of birds can cause a mess or even possibly a health risk if they are fulling directly onto people or animals. They are a chunky bird, and size combined with numbers and aggression may lead you to feel that a healthy starling population could drive smaller birds out. Though starlings don’t defend a breeding territory, like robins, they will fight other starlings and other species for food. But still, things can quickly start to get expensive if you don’t manage the situation. They are not being greedy, it’s just what they do. Starlings are enthusiastic guests at our bird feeders and because they travel in groups and have evolved to feed quickly they can seem to decimate the contents of your bird feeders in record time. But for anyone who prefers a little more tranquillity in the garden a flock of starlings is going to ruin your day. Personally, I enjoy their constant squabbling and squawking.

But for humans, the arrival of a whole flock of starlings can be more challenging. Living in flocks has many advantages for starlings, protection from predators and winter warmth are just two. If you’ve never seen one of these spectacular aerobatic displays live they are well worth seeking out. This of course is when we get the chance to see the amazing sight of starling murmurations. Though during the spring and early summer starlings tend to live in smaller, loose colonies come the autumn, juveniles start to form large flocks, And in winter migrants from northern and eastern Europe swell the numbers of our native starlings, arriving in huge flocks of thousands of birds. Starlings rarely come to the party alone, they bring a crowd. The primary cause of starlings unpopularity probably comes from their gregarious, sociable nature. So why do people view them as a problem? Flocks They are an invasive species, they shouldn’t be there and they don’t form a natural part of the local ecosystem.īut here in the UK starlings are one of our native birds, declining in numbers, but still a fairly common sight in our gardens. In North America, European Starlings are undoubtedly a problem. So should you learn to love starlings? And what steps can you legally take to deter them? Why Are Starlings a Problem? They are red-listed for conservation purposes and legally protected. But in the UK starling numbers have fallen by up to 80% since the 1980s. If one of these flocks descends on your bird feeders or decides to roost in your garden you might be looking for ways to move them along. Starlings are supremely gregarious and sociable birds who spend much of the year living in large flocks.

Suet feeder starling proof