The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a common nuisance bird in North America, originally introduced from Europe in the late 1800s. These birds are known for congregating in massive flocks, called murmurations, which create excessive noise and significant mess from droppings. Their aggressive nesting behavior also allows them to displace native bird species from nesting cavities. Managing a starling problem requires a practical, multi-faceted approach utilizing various deterrence methods to encourage the birds to relocate from the affected area.
Physical Barriers and Exclusion Techniques
Physical exclusion is often the most reliable method for deterring starlings from specific structures. This approach focuses on making surfaces physically unavailable or inaccessible, preventing them from landing or nesting.
Installation of bird spikes along ledges, beams, and parapets removes flat landing sites. For starlings, high-density spikes are necessary to deter the smaller birds. These spikes do not harm the birds but create an uncomfortable surface they cannot perch on, forcing them to find an alternate location.
Using specialized netting to block off larger areas, such as eaves, open warehouses, or balconies, provides a permanent barrier solution. For starlings, the netting must have a weave no larger than 1-1/8 inches to prevent the birds from squeezing through the openings. Proper tension and secure installation around the perimeter are necessary to maintain the barrier’s integrity.
Exclusion also involves sealing up structural entry points that starlings exploit for nesting. Because starlings are cavity nesters, they will readily enter openings into attics, vents, and wall voids that are greater than one inch in diameter. Sealing these gaps with materials like specialized screening or durable hardware cloth prevents access, removing potential nesting sites from the structure.
Sensory and Noise-Based Deterrence
Sensory deterrents work by engaging the starling’s sight, hearing, or taste to create an environment perceived as threatening or unpleasant. Auditory devices that broadcast species-specific distress calls can be temporarily effective at dispersing a flock. The sound mimics a starling in danger, triggering a flight response in nearby birds, but this effect is often short-lived.
Starlings tend to rapidly habituate to static auditory or visual threats. Common ultrasonic devices that emit sound frequencies above 20,000 Hz are largely ineffective, as the starling’s hearing range generally peaks around 15,000 Hz. More effective sonic deterrents use variable sounds or distress calls coupled with flashing lights to delay habituation.
Visual deterrents like reflective tape, holographic streamers, or simulated predator balloons rely on movement and changing light patterns to frighten the birds. For long-term success, these tools must be moved or supplemented with active deterrents, such as automated laser systems, which provide a constantly changing visual threat.
Chemical and tactile repellents offer a localized solution for surfaces where physical barriers are impractical. Sticky gels, which contain polybutenes, make a surface tacky and unappealing for landing, while taste aversion sprays containing Methyl Anthranilate (MA) can be applied to fruit trees or turf. MA acts as a non-toxic irritant when inhaled or ingested, discouraging the birds from feeding in the treated area.
Eliminating Food Sources and Roosting Habitats
Long-term starling control depends on environmental modifications that reduce the attraction to a property by eliminating readily available resources. Starlings are opportunistic feeders with a preference for high-energy foods, including cracked corn, shelled peanuts, sunflower kernels, and suet mixes containing dried fruit or nuts. Switching to birdseed with a hard shell, such as safflower or black-oil sunflower seed, often deters starlings, as their beaks are less suited to cracking these seeds.
Modifying bird feeders can also reduce starling access, such as using weight-activated or upside-down suet feeders that are difficult for the birds to use. Securing all outdoor garbage in sealed containers and ensuring pet food is not left outside prevents easy scavenging opportunities.
Starlings typically gather in dense, dark vegetation for communal roosting. Trimming or thinning the canopy of dense trees and large shrubs removes the sheltered perching spots the birds prefer. This makes the area less attractive for large-scale roosting and forces the flock to seek an alternative, less protected location.
Removing all traces of nesting material and droppings is also an important sanitation step. This eliminates visual or residual cues that signal to other starlings that the location is a safe nesting or roosting site.
Understanding Regulations for Bird Control
Control efforts must always prioritize humane practices while also complying with applicable laws regarding wildlife management. The European Starling is an introduced species and is explicitly not protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) in the United States. This non-protected status allows property owners greater flexibility in implementing control measures, including the removal of nests and eggs.
Despite the lack of federal protection, all control methods must still be carried out humanely to prevent unnecessary suffering to the birds. It is also important to select deterrents carefully to ensure they do not accidentally impact native bird species, which remain protected under the MBTA.
Property owners should consult local and state ordinances before implementing any permanent structural modifications or lethal control methods, as some local jurisdictions may have additional rules. For large or persistent starling infestations, particularly those involving commercial or agricultural properties, consulting a professional pest control service is advisable to ensure regulatory compliance and effective, targeted intervention.