Starlings are small black birds that tend to flock together in large numbers. While beautiful to look at in the sky, they can cause problems when they decide to roost in or around homes. Their droppings can damage outdoor surfaces, and the noise from a large flock can be quite bothersome. If you’re looking for ways to humanely discourage starlings from settling near your home, here are some effective options.
Why are starlings a problem?
European starlings were introduced to North America in the 1890s and have flourished here ever since. They are now one of the most numerous songbirds on the continent. Starlings form large flocks in fall and winter, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands of birds. They seek food and shelter wherever they can find it, including shopping centers, farms, and urban and suburban neighborhoods.
Large flocks of starlings can cause a few different problems:
- Droppings – Each bird can produce over 1 ounce of droppings per day. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of birds and you’ve got a huge mess. Droppings accumulate on roofs, decks, patio furniture, cars, statues, and anywhere else the birds perch. The acidic waste can damage surfaces.
- Noise – The murmuration of a huge flock of starlings is quite a sight, but also very loud. The birds chatter, chirp, and squawk constantly. This can be particularly annoying early in the morning when the birds are waking up.
- Health & safety concerns – Large amounts of bird droppings can allow diseases to accumulate and spread. Histoplasmosis, for example, is a respiratory infection that can be contracted from breathing in spores that grow in accumulated bird droppings. Plus the droppings are slippery and messy.
- Agricultural damage – Flocks will descend on orchards and vineyards, eating fruit and damaging crops.
That’s why many homeowners, businesses, and farms want to discourage starlings from settling on their property.
How to humanely get rid of starlings
It’s important to use humane methods to induce starlings to roost elsewhere. Here are some effective, wildlife-friendly options:
Scare or stress them away
You can frighten starlings away by using noise or other scare tactics:
- Distress calls – Starling distress calls or predator calls (like hawks and owls) played through loudspeakers will alarm the birds and cause them to find a safer place.
- Visual deterrents – Shiny objects blowing in the wind, fake predators like plastic owls or rubber snakes, streamers or flags hung around the area will stress the starlings out, encouraging them to leave.
- Exploders – Propane exploders that make loud bangs at random intervals will scare starlings away.
- Lasers – Sweeping a laser beam over the area at night when the birds are roosting will disturb them.
The key is to use multiple tactics and move them around periodically so the birds don’t get used to them. Harass them constantly and they’ll eventually get exhausted and settle elsewhere.
Alter their roosting spots
Starlings like to perch on ledges, branches, awnings, gutters, etc. Discouraging them from settling on these areas pushes them to find somewhere else to roost:
- Netting – Place netting over ledges, eaves, signs, or anywhere else starlings like to perch. They don’t like to land on these unstable surfaces.
- Spikes – Install plastic spike strips on ledges and fences to prevent birds from being able to settle there.
- Slope surfaces – Changing the angle of ledges or installing slick slopes makes it harder for birds to settle.
- Trim trees/shrubs – If starlings are roosting in trees near your home, trim back branches to remove their preferred perches.
This may take some trial and error to figure out where the problem spots are that you need to modify.
Use repellents
There are a few commercial products available that use smell, taste, or touch to deter starlings:
- Methyl anthranilate – This chemical compound smells like grapes to birds but they don’t like the taste. It’s non-toxic to birds and humans. You can spray it on surfaces starlings frequent.
- Avitrol – This is a chemical repellent that irritates birds’ digestive systems and frightens them away. Use only according to package directions.
- Tacky gels – Non-toxic gels or pastes make surfaces sticky and uncomfortable for birds to land on.
Repellents may need frequent reapplication to remain effective since they can wash away with rain or snow.
Modify starling food sources
Remove outdoor food sources that may be attracting starlings to the area:
- Clean up spilled grain, seed, or livestock feed under bird feeders.
- Ensure garbage cans have tight sealing lids.
- Pick up ripe fruit from trees and fallen berries from bushes.
- Remove pet food dishes after your pet has eaten.
Well-fed starlings are more likely to stick around, so eliminating any food source you can will help.
When to get help
In most cases, persistent home remedies like those described will successfully encourage starlings to find a new roosting place. But sometimes a large, stubborn flock settles in and won’t budge. You can call in a professional wildlife control company that has experience safely dispersing nuisance bird flocks. They have access to specialized equipment like large boom boxes to play starling distress calls, remote-controlled falcons, and more.
A wildlife control expert can assess your property, identify exactly where and how the birds are accessing your space, and create a tailored harassment plan. Companies may charge a few hundred dollars but it’s often money well spent to finally solve a stubborn starling problem.
Prevention
Once you’ve succeeded in getting rid of starlings from your property, take some steps to prevent them from roosting again in the future:
- Install bird netting over structures where they formerly roosted.
- Use bird repellent gels on potential perches.
- Trim back tree branches and bushes near the house.
- Install bird spikes along ledges and fences.
- Eliminate food sources.
- Consider getting a fake predator owl statue to help keep the area less attractive.
Being proactive definitely helps ensure starlings won’t become a problem again down the road.
Conclusion
Starlings are extremely social birds that tend to gang up in large flocks, especially during their winter migration. All those birds clustered together can create headaches for homeowners, businesses, and farms. Their droppings damage structures while the noise can be maddening. Luckily there are several effective DIY methods for scaring starlings away and encouraging them to find a new place to roost. Persistence and variety are key – you need to frequently change up the sounds, sights, and harassment tactics so they don’t become immune. If your starling infestation still won’t budge, professional wildlife control experts have access to more advanced dispersal tools. Once the birds are gone, take preventive measures so they won’t be back next season.