A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Hobbies, Crafts and Creativity The Bird Lovers Forum Starlings a problem

The Starlings have discovered my bird baths!! They haven't been a problem for 3 years and now they've taken over my 'bird neighborhood.' They have run off all of the pretty birds that use to come and visit. They run other birds out of the birdbaths. I use to see all kinds of pretty birds. Not anymore!!!

Not only do they run the other pretty little birds away from my birdbaths but they destroy eggs and steal nests from some of them....bluebirds in particular. My neighbor has bluebird houses and, apparently, the holes are just a little too big. Those big Starlings can get in there. A body can make a too small hole bigger but it would be a neat trick to make a big hole smaller. If you have any suggestions about that, too, that would be great!!

I realize this is a birdlover's forum but I'm thinking maybe someone here knows how to deter unpleasant birds humanely.

Not much you can do EXCEPT encourage Mockingbirds to set up residence in your yard. Mockingbirds drie away EVERY Starling they see. They are the sworn enemy of ALL Starlings.

That's very interesting as I have a couple of Mockingbirds and not as many of them as usual either.

Last year there were 3 families of Mockingbirds very close to me. They were chasing things all over the place, including cats (my sister's from next door) and even gooseing my little Dachsund when she was digging a mole run too close to their tree. And I was only 5 feet away. That bird didn't care. I even saw a MB chasing a Southern Golden Eagle off the premises. NO LIE!!! I watched it from my back yard go over the trees next door and off out of sight. This huge bird with this little thing on its tail. I'm sure the Eagle wasn't the least bit concerned but that Mockingbird was going to drive its point home regardless.

(Maybe I'm blaming the Starlings for something that's not there doing but I sit on my patio and watch. The birdbaths are far enough away that the birds aren't intimidated by my presence but they're close enough for me to birdwatch.

[I take it back about maybe blaming the Starlings for something that's not there fault. IT IS THERE FAULT, DADGUMMIT! I had a momentary lapse there when I shouldn't have. ]

The one big pain in the arse other than not seeing the pretty little birds is having to fill the birdbaths 3 or 4 times a day (they're not fountains). The Starlings are big and they get in there and splash it all out. Maybe that's why the other birds don't come. There's nothing in there for them after the Starlings get through 'bathing.' I don't know.

They steal all the food too.

They probably would if I put any out there. I didn't 'feed' this year. A real winter forgot to visit us this last go around and I have to save a nickle where I can.

HEY! Maybe THAT'S WHY the birds aren't here this spring!!!!

Maybe I DID erroneously blame the Starling. sigh....

We have all sorts of birds here, but we are on a farm and they get lots of our grain ....
I only feed the Hummers and Finches.. This year first time.

That's another thing. I've only seen one Hummer this year and there's usually several because my neighbor has two Hummer feeders and I always have flowers that they like. ?????

Did they go to the neighbors, Perhaps???????????

Hmmmm... I don't know. They only feed the Hummers and they don't have any birdbaths.

I put out a bird bath, and have yet to see one bird in that???????

I have a birdbath but the birds don't bathe in it much; they use it more for drinking.

Hope it's not too close to a 'traffic' area of any kind....people, pets, etc.
If it hasn't been out there very long, they just haven't discovered it yet. Put a bird feeder close by (not too close) and they'll find it pretty quick. :wink:

It's not too deep, is it? One of my birdbaths is deeper than the other. The little birds use the one that's shallower to bathe in but they drink out of both. The bigger birds prefer the little bit deeper one.

Someone told me not too long ago that birds don't like to get any part of their wings underwater. They don't mind their feet or part of their underbelly but not their wings.

Then I have dirty birds.............

Guess I will hide an watch......
No I am way off the highway on a hill.....
Plenty bird traffic there.........