suggestions-starling harrasment

[shiner]

I have crescent openings, I have a baited trap with popcorn for starlings, I cannot shoot because of the close proximity of houses. But....I found a dead female due to a starling attack. She was attacked coming out of a crescent entry!!!!. The starling cannot get in, but it is harassing my small colony of 9 pair. Any suggestions??? I am thinking about paying the ticket for discharging a firearm(12 gauge) Just kidding, but it has crossed my mind. I am open to any and all suggestions.

[Louise Chambers]

A nestbox trap with a round hole ought to pull starlings in - either a single unit box with a trap in it, or a repeating nestbox trap - both on PMCA shop. Plans to build a trap are in the Archives.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

What seems to work good is to make a horizontal trap, sort of like a Chalet, and hang it under the housing. If a starling starts using it, and they will because they will be able to enter, especially if you put some long twigs into the round hole. Of course, you stand a chance of catching a martin, but the martins most likely will not leave if you release it quickly. Can you monitor your trap, check it often during the morning. Starlings do not often look for housing in the afternoon.

[jr 2]

i have noticed the starlings are always at my martin housing of the morning,,they are trying too get in the cresent and clinger entraces and reaching in my bo11 tunnels and pulling out some of my nest material;;but so far i haven't seen 1 enter;;;jr2

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Get yourself a Troyer gourd with a round hole tunnel and a Troyer tunnel trap, use a piece of wire with a small loop on the end and insert into the trip wire hole from the outside, attach fishing line to the loop and reel it in when you see a starling enter. Just like fishing... for starlings that is.

[Scott D.- La]

I bought my youngest a Daisy pellet gun for Xmas. It is pretty weak and is only good for 20 yard's and under. It has very little sound. It would be good enough to at least knock a Starling to the ground. I have killed a couple sparrow's with it. The nest box trap's will probably be your other option.

[DornCounty]

nest box trap near a tree the same level as your martin house.

Do it!!!

it might cost you $20 and a dumpster dive.

[shiner]

Sounds like a nestbox trap purchase is in the future. thanks to all who replied. Ray.. could you explain your idea a little more I cannot picture it.

[shiner]

Ray Do you hang the gourd w/ trap under your house or by itself somewhere?

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Robert you said you have crescent openings and the starlings are harassing your martins, don't know if thats on a gourd rack or house but either way would work you could hang it under the house or somewhere nearby. The starling would go into a round hole, the trap is just an aluminum shutter thats held up above the opening by a trip wire which would normally be inserted into the trip wire hole by opening your access lid and pushing the trip wire into the hole from the inside. Using the fishing pole method you can ELIMINATE the possibility of CATCHING A MARTIN and then have it desert your site. All it takes is a piece of wire that will fit the hole then bend one end into a small loop, move your shutter up, insert the pin from the outside, attach fishing line and let out whatever amount of line length you need (a distance where you can sit and watch when a starling enters) Then all you need to do is pull the pin out with your line and the starling is trapped! The tunnel and trap are pictured in the PMCA catalog

[Laverne]

I have crescent openings, I have a baited trap with popcorn for starlings, I cannot shoot because of the close proximity of houses. But....I found a dead female due to a starling attack. She was attacked coming out of a crescent entry!!!!. The starling cannot get in, but it is harassing my small colony of 9 pair. Any suggestions??? I am thinking about paying the ticket for discharging a firearm(12 gauge) Just kidding, but it has crossed my mind. I am open to any and all suggestions.

A 12 gauge will just blow your housing to pieces -- as the starling flies away... We use an old BB gun. Others use a pellet gun. Here's a link to some recent posts...

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21961

Good luck for a great year.

[shiner]

Thanks Ray for your explanation.

[Tim Stover]

the trap Louise spoke of the nestbox is what i use believe me it works

[starling shooter]

Get the NB trap PMCA sells. I cleaned out the whole neighborhood of starlings with one. I would catch one before work, one at lunch and have one when I got home in the evening. Got to where you didn't even seen them grazing in the neighborhood. Shooting them is like bailing water out of the ocean with a spoon. Unless you can just sit and wait all day long. Get a trap now.

[shiner]

Starling Shooter.
Which one in the pmca shop are you talking about. Are you talking about the nestbox trap that resembles a bluebird house or a nestbox insert trap like the universal