Starlings problem.

[susanq]

For the last few years we’ve enjoyed watching the murmeration? of starlings in our village. However, this year they’ve decided to do it directly over our house and to do their roosting in the trees at the foot of our garden. The mess is unbelievable, with droppings splattered all over the windows and cars, not to mention the noise of them chirping away once they’re in the trees before they go to sleep. I’m talking about 10’s of thousands of them, increasing daily. Does anyone know how long this is likely to go on for, I mean do they eventually migrate somewhere else? If not, how can I scare them off?

[av185]

A shotgun normally works well.

[Sheets Tabuer]

Fireworks.

Prepare yourself to be compared to josef mengele from people on facebook that bought a dog.

[DodgyGeezer]

Sheets Tabuer said:

Fireworks.

Prepare yourself to be compared to josef mengele from people on facebook that bought a dog.

[bigpriest]

They don't migrate they reside here. They group together in winter once they've found a nice place that they like. In spring and summer they disperse...then come back in autumn. How many trees would you need to burn down and would the villagers mind?

[trails]

OP, Starlings are on the red list and protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which makes it illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take a starling, or to take, damage or destroy an active nest or its contents.

[hidetheelephants]

Rent a bird of prey for a week or so?

[Lotobear]

Newcastle city centre had a huge starling issue in the 1970's, it became a real problem and was regularly on the local news.

The Council put up loudspeakers with some sort of predator call playing out - can't remember if it worked or not.

Oddly the starlings disappeared over the years and pissed youths became a bigger problem.

Mumurations are fantastic to watch though.

[untakenname]

I have issues with dozens of parakeets causing havoc near me, a LEP flashlight will scare them aware just by waving it around for a few seconds each evening as they start to roost so should likely work on Starlings as well.

[Yertis]

trails said:

OP, Starlings are on the red list and protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which makes it illegal to intentionally kill, injure or take a starling, or to take, damage or destroy an active nest or its contents.

I've got a starling family living in the eaves of my house right by the drive way. Yes, they crap on the cars, and long may they do so. I bloody love them.

[trails]

Yertis said:

I've got a starling family living in the eaves of my house right by the drive way. Yes, they crap on the cars, and long may they do so. I bloody love them.

Ditto, ours (lolz at ours!) have been around for the best part of 10 years, noisy little sods when they are hatchlings but it’s been fun listening to them whilst working at home

[susanq]

Thanks for all the replies, this is what I’m talking about.

[TooLateForAName]

Lotobear said:

Newcastle city centre had a huge starling issue in the 1970's, it became a real problem and was regularly on the local news.

The Council put up loudspeakers with some sort of predator call playing out - can't remember if it worked or not.

Oddly the starlings disappeared over the years and pissed youths became a bigger problem.

Mumurations are fantastic to watch though.

Sorted! Ring newcastle council and sell them your starlings.

[bigpriest]

Just wait until a gang of rooks turn up for a party, now they're loud!

[untakenname]

Birds were making so much noise this afternoon it was impacting on a Teams meeting, ended up getting my LEP and solved the issue within seconds.

These birds in the video are invasive so the under general licence so you don't need to give a reason to shoot so using a LEP on them should be fine.

https://youtube.com/shorts/vbwnqHVqzCY?feature=sha...

[Boosted LS1]

Thanks, I'll try that at the kids playground, noisy little sts. .Get a grip FFS. Shut the windows or turn the volume up instead of driving wildlife away.


Starlings are in serous decline, a red list species.

Edited by Boosted LS1 on Wednesday 22 December 09:28

[untakenname]

The windows are already closed, they generate peak noise of over 115db (I've measured) which is unacceptable and also are one of the main factors for the decline in smaller native birds which is why last year Defra allowed the general public to cull them.

Evidence here from a study made 13 years ago, since then the population has exploded and are now more common than pigeons in the South East.

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=W...

[sociopath]

susanq said:

Thanks for all the replies, this is what I’m talking about.

That's brilliant. I'd love that near my home.

[sociopath]

untakenname said:

Birds were making so much noise this afternoon it was impacting on a Teams meeting, ended up getting my LEP and solved the issue within seconds.

These birds in the video are invasive so the under general licence so you don't need to give a reason to shoot so using a LEP on them should be fine.

https://youtube.com/shorts/vbwnqHVqzCY?feature=sha...

Have you heard of headphones? They're quite effective, and you don't need to kill or disturb nature.

[Boosted LS1]

untakenname said:

The windows are already closed, they generate peak noise of over 115db (I've measured) which is unacceptable and also are one of the main factors for the decline in smaller native birds which is why last year Defra allowed the general public to cull them.

Evidence here from a study made 13 years ago, since then the population has exploded and are now more common than pigeons in the South East.

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=W...

I can't open that link and I'd imagine you need special permission to destroy a red listed bird species. The population has crashed in the last 10 - 20 years or so, not just here but europe as well. You're lucky you have them.

Google 'are starlings in decline' and you'll find lots of reports about falling numbers.