I have a pair of terrorist starlings, one can enter the SREH. They have killed with head/neck injury 2 of my ASY females in the cavities on my Lonestar Goliad. All my martins are scared off by this wild pair. They sit and wait on the other house when they are near, which is always.
I put up a nest trap, and caught 4 starlings, but not the terrorizing pair.
We tried to shoot them, but have been unsuccessful so far. Any other suggestions? Can I add another floor to the porch and decrease the size of my entry holes? Will the martins still be able to get in if I do so?
I am afraid I am going to lose my colony with these awful birds around.
Help! Murder by STs in my SREH!
They should commit to a certain cavity pretty quick and just as quicky stuff it with nesting material. After the cavity is stuffed martins will be hesitant to enter but the starlings will not.
We glue-trapped out three pairs this way, or rather one of each pair, the other left every time. We placed cut-up sections of paper mouse glue traps inside the nest. Nerve wracking though, when martins peer in the entrance.
Other than that, for shooting is any sort of blind possible? Birds, even starlings, operate on an out of sight, out of mind principle. I have closely observed wild birds' nests for a research project with nothing more than a blanket draped over me as I sat on the ground, the black-capped vireos did not react as I didn't look like anything recognizable to them. Even a car might work as a blind (bird watchers do that a lot) if you can get one close enough.
Mike Scully
We glue-trapped out three pairs this way, or rather one of each pair, the other left every time. We placed cut-up sections of paper mouse glue traps inside the nest. Nerve wracking though, when martins peer in the entrance.
Other than that, for shooting is any sort of blind possible? Birds, even starlings, operate on an out of sight, out of mind principle. I have closely observed wild birds' nests for a research project with nothing more than a blanket draped over me as I sat on the ground, the black-capped vireos did not react as I didn't look like anything recognizable to them. Even a car might work as a blind (bird watchers do that a lot) if you can get one close enough.
Mike Scully
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3788
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
What is the distance from the floor to the bottom of the SREH? If it is more then 1/8 of an inch you need to shim it up. There are many different materials that can be used but you need to put something on the porch so it becomes close to flush with the bottom of the SREH. That is not always a 100% fix but more times then not the starlings can no longer enter.
2026 HOSP 26
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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~Ray~Gingerich
- Posts: 2122
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
- Location: Delaware/Dover
Here is a method of shooting that works, park a car or pickup within shooting range, have someone walk with you to the vehicle and then have them go back to the house, starlings will be watching but they can't count, when the other person leaves they think all is well. Get all set up while the other person is still there, open window, pull sun visors down,position the gun, and make yourself as inconspicious as possible, after the other person leaves make all your movements slowly. Many starlings have left for the happy hunting grounds with this method at my place.
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
That's a good question, and it brings up a disturbing point.flyin-lowe wrote:What is the distance from the floor to the bottom of the SREH? If it is more then 1/8 of an inch you need to shim it up. There are many different materials that can be used but you need to put something on the porch so it becomes close to flush with the bottom of the SREH. That is not always a 100% fix but more times then not the starlings can no longer enter.
The crescent entrances on the Lonestar are flush with the floor - and like you mentioned, making them as starling resistant as a crescent can be.
The fact that these starlings are still gaining access as easily as they are, is concerning.
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Guest
@flyinglowe- The SREH are flush with the porch. They have no space between the entry and floor. That is why I was hesitant to put any more restriction on the house. I don't think the male can get in, but I am not sure. Not good with ID of the rats.
@Scully: I can't figure out which hole they go in! They seem to mostly just stand on the stupid house! And when I pulled it down yesterday, I didn't find any nesting materials. Just the 2 dead females. Ugh.
@Ray: Great idea about the leaving "fake-out" we have our set up in the backyard, but I think we could probably go out as a pair and then one leave, and try that. What a time waster! Dang birds.
If I can ever ID their hole, I will glue them. I did this with a pesky sparrow a couple years ago. That worked. But it was nerve wracking!
@Scully: I can't figure out which hole they go in! They seem to mostly just stand on the stupid house! And when I pulled it down yesterday, I didn't find any nesting materials. Just the 2 dead females. Ugh.
@Ray: Great idea about the leaving "fake-out" we have our set up in the backyard, but I think we could probably go out as a pair and then one leave, and try that. What a time waster! Dang birds.
If I can ever ID their hole, I will glue them. I did this with a pesky sparrow a couple years ago. That worked. But it was nerve wracking!
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3788
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
I am now a little confused. You said you couldn't ID which hole they were using. Does this mean you have not seen them enter the SREH or not?? (sorry for the confusion). If you have not seen them enter the SREH it could be something else that has killed your martins. I don't like to use glue traps for starlings. I have used them on HOSP but I cover part of the entry so a martin can't get it. If you do that then the starling won't be able to get in either, and if you try to stand somewhere close and monitor the glue trap the starlings will not come in. They are pretty sly and somehow they know when we are out to get them.
2026 HOSP 26
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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Tim Stover
- Posts: 505
- Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:04 pm
- Location: Tennesse/Madisonville
first 30min. of daylight is when i shoot these kind of starlings i wait on them when they land i am ready to shoot
2009 2pair 2010 24pair 2011 106 pair
2012 124 pair
2013 145
2014 170 pair
+
2012 124 pair
2013 145
2014 170 pair
+
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Guest
flying lowe: I saw the one exit cavity 11, one time. The ASY female was killed in 11. I also had a dead one, same wounds, in a different cavity. I haven't seen them enter/exit since that one time. No nesting material in any of them either, that I can see. Mostly they just stand on the house and intimidate the martins, or kill them, it seems. Maybe they will get down to starting a nest and I can ID which cavity they are using.
Do you think it would be wise to put 1/8th rise on the porch even though they are flush to it?
Do you think it would be wise to put 1/8th rise on the porch even though they are flush to it?
Hi Suecola.suecola wrote:Do you think it would be wise to put 1/8th rise on the porch even though they are flush to it?
I would advise against it.
The Lonestar crescents are as starling resistant, as you're going to get with a crescent entrance.
Any porch raising from the already flush setup, is just going to make the entrances completely unusable by the Martins.
I would possibly suggest, going with an Excluder entrance plate.
The Excluder entrance, with it's twin pegs, is even more starling resistant than the crescent entrance.
Here are the Excluder plates at the PMCA store:
Click here for Excluder plates at the PMCA store
Just a thought.........
I don't know what your surroundings are or even if you can shoot pellet gun, rifle, or shotgun? If you can't shoot shotgun or rifle, and would be able to shoot low powered pellet rifle providing you can hit what you aim at. To do this you have to get the pellet rifle to repeat on target. Then you have to determine where you most advanage and safest shot angle would be. Now you have to site the pellet gun in on that target to be able to hit quarter 10 times out 10. Next you have to have an ambush site so the starling don't see you move or see the rifle barrel swing. You may have to get you a cheap turkey blind and some type of gun rest to steady or shot.
Remember the male starling will come as suggested just after sun up or within the hour after sun up. And he will sit somewhere close singing to his mate and watch his nest cavity. This is the best time to get the male when he sits and sings. the best time to get the female when she tries to enter or exist the entry hole.
I am convinced it's the male starling killing your PMs to take possession of that side of you housing. Starlings are very easy to identify they have the straight long needle like bills, stand upright and are more round than PM and don't have the long wing tip feathers protruding beyond the tail. There flight pattern is flapping straight line glide, Flapping glide. Usually starlings will catch one quickly to being shot at, so that's why you don't want to miss.
Once the male takes cavity for his mate, mates with her till all the eggs are laid he really is done IMO, you won't see him much cause he's out taking over other cavities, like round holes PM houses, woodpecker holes, ect.. Once she's on the nest, or babies have hatch she don't hang around the entry hole she will go straight in and exit just as quick. Most people that don't monitor there colonies don't even know they have starlings nesting in among PMs. Some like my neilbhor don't even know the difference and think they have PMs, yes I have talked to them. But their not willing to do what it takes to get PMs and they could easily get them with my colony fledging 150 to 200 PM every year. The starlings and sparrows in my area have learned to stay away from my housing.
Remember the male starling will come as suggested just after sun up or within the hour after sun up. And he will sit somewhere close singing to his mate and watch his nest cavity. This is the best time to get the male when he sits and sings. the best time to get the female when she tries to enter or exist the entry hole.
I am convinced it's the male starling killing your PMs to take possession of that side of you housing. Starlings are very easy to identify they have the straight long needle like bills, stand upright and are more round than PM and don't have the long wing tip feathers protruding beyond the tail. There flight pattern is flapping straight line glide, Flapping glide. Usually starlings will catch one quickly to being shot at, so that's why you don't want to miss.
Once the male takes cavity for his mate, mates with her till all the eggs are laid he really is done IMO, you won't see him much cause he's out taking over other cavities, like round holes PM houses, woodpecker holes, ect.. Once she's on the nest, or babies have hatch she don't hang around the entry hole she will go straight in and exit just as quick. Most people that don't monitor there colonies don't even know they have starlings nesting in among PMs. Some like my neilbhor don't even know the difference and think they have PMs, yes I have talked to them. But their not willing to do what it takes to get PMs and they could easily get them with my colony fledging 150 to 200 PM every year. The starlings and sparrows in my area have learned to stay away from my housing.
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
I'm at a loss for words, suecola. I don't know what else to tell you. You must eliminate this SREH breaching Starling. But, I'm like everybody else - I would never use sticky traps in this case. How are you gonna feel if you catch a Purple Martin instead of that stupid Starling?
Others here have given you many good suggestions on how to catch the creeps. I believe two dead PM females would be enough motivation for me to get out there and defeat that murdering pair of Starlings.
You "are" smarter than those birds - don't let them win!!
Go git 'em!!
Sincerely,
Laverne
Others here have given you many good suggestions on how to catch the creeps. I believe two dead PM females would be enough motivation for me to get out there and defeat that murdering pair of Starlings.
You "are" smarter than those birds - don't let them win!!
Go git 'em!!
Sincerely,
Laverne
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Carlton
- Posts: 1959
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
- Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
- Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
I use a Troyer Horizontal Gourd with a ROUND entrance tunnel. Of course that gourd also has a very effective but simple trap that fits it (purchased separately from the gourd but inexpensive). Put the gourd/trap up with the martin gourds. If you catch a martin you can always just release it but you might very well catch starlings as do I.
If the starling gets caught all you have to do is put a heavy, clear plastic bag over the tunnel entrance, lift the little drop down plastic trap door and he will fly right out into the heavy plastic bag. Squeeze him to death.
Good luck. I realize it takes time to get the gourd and trap.
If the starling gets caught all you have to do is put a heavy, clear plastic bag over the tunnel entrance, lift the little drop down plastic trap door and he will fly right out into the heavy plastic bag. Squeeze him to death.
Good luck. I realize it takes time to get the gourd and trap.
Every year I get 2 or 3 yellow beaks that insist on roosting on top of the PM hotel every morning. They can't seem to get into any of the SREH's; but that doesn't stop them from trying. While they are roosting the PM's will swoop at them over and over; but it really seems to have no effect on the ST's or their routines. This is pretty much a daily event until I kill the Starlings.
Every year I kill 2 or 3. Once that happens, it seems that the "word" gets out and I have no more problems with the Starlings.
The PM house to my shooting position is about 110". I use a >30 yr old Crosman 766 with a variable scope and 177 pellets. The old gun and I are deadly accurate.
Every year I kill 2 or 3. Once that happens, it seems that the "word" gets out and I have no more problems with the Starlings.
The PM house to my shooting position is about 110". I use a >30 yr old Crosman 766 with a variable scope and 177 pellets. The old gun and I are deadly accurate.
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Guest
The dang ST murdered another one. An ASY male this time. Same head/neck injury. I saw the rat fly out of #11 and did as suggested, stuffing the entry way then lowered the house: empty. I can't seem to even find them now, but they are there, and murdering my PMs. I am wondering if I should close down my house? No one can make nests because of these two terrors.
I put up a nest box trap, caught 4 starlings, but not the pair I need. I am about to scream. Wind has been 20-40mph last few days, couldn't even try to shoot them, not that I see them enough to try. Sneaky devils.
I have a sparrow pair too now. Just rotten luck all around.
I put up a nest box trap, caught 4 starlings, but not the pair I need. I am about to scream. Wind has been 20-40mph last few days, couldn't even try to shoot them, not that I see them enough to try. Sneaky devils.
I have a sparrow pair too now. Just rotten luck all around.
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Guest
We can't seem to kill them. Neither of us are good shots. Plus we are in a covenant community that doesn't allow shooting of anything. We are sneaking around that by using a pellet gun!
I am going to try the excluder entrances. Maybe that will help. I have caught about 5 starlings in the nest trap, but they are not the ones that get in the Lonestar.
Louise, I am obviously not smarter than the Starling rats. I am just hoping the new entry won't scare away the Martins. But what can I say? Better to go away and be alive!
I am going to try the excluder entrances. Maybe that will help. I have caught about 5 starlings in the nest trap, but they are not the ones that get in the Lonestar.
Louise, I am obviously not smarter than the Starling rats. I am just hoping the new entry won't scare away the Martins. But what can I say? Better to go away and be alive!
They seem to get into anything if they try hard enough. Get a good pellet rifle with a decent scope. Sight the thing in (because you will be shooting upwards) by making a target the height of the house and from a distance that you will be shooting from. Keep shooting and adjusting the scope til you are on the money. Once sighted in you'll be surprised how accurate you are. Also relax and squeeze the trigger as opposed to pulling it which will throw your aim off. I blast the starlings on my house by slightly cracking a window open on my house which gives me perfect camoflage. Haven't missed one of the buggers in three years.
Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans John Lennon
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scottfreidhof
- Posts: 348
- Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:13 am
- Location: Kentucky/Morehead
You might try harassment to force them away. By harassment, I mean to spook the starlings off the housing a few times in the morning each time they return. Do the same in the evening when they return, right to the edge of darkness. I walk towards the housing while clapping my hands to physically force them off the housing and out of the yard. It usually takes about four days worth of morning and evening harassment for this process to work. It has worked for me on several occasions.
This process did not work with house sparrows. Well it did, but it took two weeks and the male sparrow finally just switched his attention to a second gourd rack in the yard. So in the end I shot him. I try to use the shotgun sparingly because the neighbors are just close enough to potentially be annoyed. So far this spring, I've only had to trap 5 sparrows out of the bluebird boxes.
This process did not work with house sparrows. Well it did, but it took two weeks and the male sparrow finally just switched his attention to a second gourd rack in the yard. So in the end I shot him. I try to use the shotgun sparingly because the neighbors are just close enough to potentially be annoyed. So far this spring, I've only had to trap 5 sparrows out of the bluebird boxes.
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Guest
Scottfried, I thank you. I have been harrassing the stupid ST day and night. They totally terrify the martins. I have caught 6 Starlings so far in my nest trap, but not the one that is the murderer.
We tried to shoot him, but he is just too quick to get a bead on. We did use some of the advice here, 2 of us walk up, one walks away and stays. They get fooled by that, since they can't count.
It is a bit of a quandry. I put up an old PM house that I have made into a sparrow motel, and hope to catch some of these rats. Praying alot.
At least no more have been murdered. It is driving my PMs crazy because I am always out there disrupting their activity since I have to pull the house down so often and check on the rats!
My husband says I am obsessed. I told him "it's a mission."
We tried to shoot him, but he is just too quick to get a bead on. We did use some of the advice here, 2 of us walk up, one walks away and stays. They get fooled by that, since they can't count.
It is a bit of a quandry. I put up an old PM house that I have made into a sparrow motel, and hope to catch some of these rats. Praying alot.
At least no more have been murdered. It is driving my PMs crazy because I am always out there disrupting their activity since I have to pull the house down so often and check on the rats!
My husband says I am obsessed. I told him "it's a mission."