Starlings and Troyer horizontal gourds with Crescent entrance

[jhcox]

Over the last couple of years, I’ve noticed starlings being able to breach the Crescent entrances on just my Troyer horizontal boards. This year seems like more and more are being able to make it in to the Troyers.. All my other gourds have the same size crescent, but they’re on Bo9s and super gourds. But they’re not breaching them. Is it possible that the starlings are adapting in someway to be able to get in more easily? If they start making nest in the gourds, I generally set up my repeater trap and dispose of them, but like I said, it seems to be more numerous this year.

[C.C.Martins]

I wonder if the smaller starlings are able to use the ribbed troyer porch for easier entry? Could add some material on those porches to make it slicker? Some of the starlings I got this season were smaller that is sure.

[Conrad Baker]

Might not be the case where you are, but I have noticed early in the season that starlings are able to defeat the SREH. Not so much later in the season. I attribute that to the fact that they are younger (thus smaller) in the beginning, but once they put some weight on (and grow a little more) they can no longer get in.

[jhcox]

Yeah, I believe that’s the case that it’s just younger Byrds therefore just a little bit skinnier and able to get down a little lower to sneak in, but I’ll catch him and get rid of them just some I don’t have to deal with later on