I am having difficulty with these smaller Starlings breaching all of my entrances. I successfully trapped one only to have several more show up. I have never had a Starling problem before. I think I am dealing with a double edged sword. I am supplemental feeding due to the lousy weather, and the scrambled eggs I am putting on my bed & breakfast seem to be attracting the Starlings.
We need an entrance plate that will keep these smaller Starlings from gaining access.
Hanover Bill.
Small Starling Dilemma !!
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Hanover Bill
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 3:10 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Hanover Township
- Martin Colony History: 2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
Yes seems so. Can you shoot while they are on the platform eating the eggs? There are some real restrictive entrances but sounds like you have troyer gourds....
Iv 8 nest box traps up, 6 have van ert traps in them but the 2 catching the starlings and sparrows are the PMCA nest box traps.
Also I suggest a ST1 for the ground near your feeder, went to mr barrows yesterday and Louise had 2 starlings and 2 sparrows in it!
Maybe work for you?
Tom
Iv 8 nest box traps up, 6 have van ert traps in them but the 2 catching the starlings and sparrows are the PMCA nest box traps.
Also I suggest a ST1 for the ground near your feeder, went to mr barrows yesterday and Louise had 2 starlings and 2 sparrows in it!
Maybe work for you?
Tom
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Hi bill.. what type SREH entrances do you have? If their crescents, then the bottom can’t be any higher than1/4 inch from the porch or entrance floor.. starlings can still breach 1/4 inch high though.. putting the bottom of the entrance 1/8 inch or, even better, flush with porch floor will help a lot to stop the breaches. The flush mount makes it almost impossible for the starling to squeeze his long legs and bigger body through the crescent.. but as Tom said, if they’re still breaching, trapping and shooting is the way to go..
Good luck,
Rob
Good luck,
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3788
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
Good news is if they keep eating your food they will fatten up and not be able to get in. The times I have heard of breaches it is in the spring when they are a little skinnier following the winter.
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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Jones4381
- Posts: 830
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:54 pm
- Location: Southwestern VA
- Martin Colony History: 2020- 0
2021- 1 pair-5
2022- 5 pair-20
2023 34 pair-44
2024 30 pair-122
2025 54 Pair -178
sage advisorflyin-lowe wrote: ↑Fri May 06, 2022 7:02 pmGood news is if they keep eating your food they will fatten up and not be able to get in. The times I have heard of breaches it is in the spring when they are a little skinnier following the winter.
"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." - Lao Tzu
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Hanover Bill
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 3:10 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Hanover Township
- Martin Colony History: 2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
Thanks for all of the encouragement guys. I will keep at it. How do they say it, patience is a virtue.
Hanover Bill.
Hanover Bill.
2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
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Bird Brain
- Posts: 327
- Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:22 am
- Location: Highland Village, TX
- Martin Colony History: 2022-visitors, 2023-visitors, 2024-1 pair, fledged 4, 2025-10 pair, fledged 42
Small starling dilemma seems to be limited to the northern colonies. Southern colonies are not having this problem that I'm aware of.