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Starlings and songbirds

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  • 18-06-2010 8:28am
    #1
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭


    I have food out for the birds, and all was happy in the little camp until recently, when a flock of 20+ starlings discovered the soup line. They have now driven off the many songbirds - blackbirds, wood doves, tits, finches, thrushes - that used to come for food, and hang out in the garden like something from Southill, squealing, squabbling and grabbing all the grub.

    Is there any solution (other than stopping feeding altogether)?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    padi89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,478 ✭✭✭padi89


    Well this is what works for me. You could stop feeding for a while, the starlings will move away but you can guarantee they will return when you feed again.
    You can limit their access to food, for me that means using tube seed feeders (not peanut feeders they can cling to them, but they can only take a small amount at a time) and ground guards, i just use a couple of hanging baskets upside down on one another over the food. You have to make sure though the holes are small, starlings can squeeze through tight spaces. RSPB and CJ Wildlife have ground guards on their sites. The problem with using them is you are restricting birds by size so if you want starlings out you will also be excluding blackbirds and thrushes. On my patch starlings weren't too interested in chopped up apples and seeds so i put these in the open for the blackbirds and thrushes. However the likes of suet and mealworms the starlings will absolutely devour them in minutes. Its all trial and error really but hope this helps.


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    #3
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    I make up cakes of porridge oats, sultanas and lard for the starlings. Keeps them distracted away from the feeders for the other birds.


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    #4
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    Thanks! Good solutions.

    At the moment I'm relying on my deadly hawk imitation - sending a Frisbee out the top window when the starlings appear - which scares them off for long enough for the little birds to come in and get a feed.

    Oddly, they seem to prefer the fat balls on the clothesline and tree to the dried mealy-worms on the grass.


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    #5
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Move the feeding station near the house and throw anything like chunks of bread elsewhere for the Starlings.


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    #6
    Qualitymark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Qualitymark


    Crystal Melted Acne wrote: »
    Move the feeding station near the house and throw anything like chunks of bread elsewhere for the Starlings.

    Everything in my garden is near my house! And chunks of bread are quickly gollished by my bowler.


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    #7
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Just trying to help based on past experience.:rolleyes:


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