The starling is a bird which is commonly seen in both urban and rural areas. This species has a distinctive distress call.

Breeding:
Nests are usually built in holes in trees or buildings and they will readily take over nest boxes. The area around the nest entrance is usually streaked with dropping. There may be 2 broods in a season, one in early April and one in mid-May.

Distribution & Roosting:
The population of starlings in this country increases considerably in late September/early November due to immigrant birds coming in from Europe and north-west Russia. The birds return from mid-February to the end of April. Starlings will fly considerable distances to feed, up to 20-30 miles. Regular flight lines are used between feeding sites and roosts. Tens of thousands of birds may be present in a large roost and the noise and fouling produced is considerable.

Feeding:
Starlings are mainly insectivorous during the breeding season, with leather jackets being an important part of the diet. In winter they are omnivorous and will feed on invertebrates, stubble, roots, stock foods and scavenge at refuse tips.

Control:
There are several methods available for controlling starling populations and preventing problem flocks from settling, including wiring, netting, pointing and pesticides.

If you have a problem with starlings, Safeguard can help you! Contact us today for more information.