I DETEST starlings.....and yet I fell guilty....

[abluechipstock]

i like to have one as a pet, outstanding mimics, same family as mynah birds!

 

[magicpigeon]

Quote:
What is wrong w/doves? Agree on starlings, some environmentalist wanted a natural remedy for corn borers. Real Good Idea, NOT. Kill them all. They are smart tho. When I go out with gun, they get themselves lost.

Please don't bring pigeons into this. I can agree that they carry diseases, but the paranoia of most people I find is alien to me. As a long-time pigeon owner we get this flak all the time. So I can safely say your accusation of pigeons being "rats of the sky" is inaccurate. How about the ducks which brought H1N1 to Australia? Many pigeons keepers disagree with your opinion and if you wanted to get technical you could maybe repost this on pigeontalk. And send me the link, too. I need a laugh for today.


That said, I would just make my coop "starling proof", walk inside with a large vacuum packer and well, you know the rest

 

[jennh]

My backyard is certified through the Nat'l Wildlife Federation as a "Backyard Habitat". That being said, I have plugged the holes of birdhouses with baby house sparrows in them. I DO feel guilty, though.

BUT, I HATE them, as well as starlings. Again, they are not a native bird, and they are the reason our native bluebirds are in decline. They take over the nesting sites. Since humans have started making nestboxes, the bluebirds are on their way back

Personally, I think the grackles are MUCH smarter than starlings.

Jen

 

[seedcorn]

What is difference between grackle and starling?

 

[desertdarlene]

I don't care for starlings, either, but I don't hate them any more than I hate crows and seagulls, except for the fact that they are a prime example of a non-native species takeover. They are such bullies! But, I have to admit it's cool how they can reproduce sounds almost exactly. They love to copy killdeer calls and they do it very well. It drives me nuts, though, because killdeer are my favorite birds and I'm always looking for them.

Oh, and grackles are horrible, too. They behave a lot like crows and will kill other birds with no warning. They tend to get along with a bird for several months, then, wham, they will out and out kill them for no reason.

And, I like pigeons, even though most of them are non-native, too. I agree, there is a paranoia about them that's unjustified. I've handled feral pigeons and never had a problem.

ETA: Cooper's hawks seem to like to eat starlings and grackles, at least where I live.

 

[jennh]

Quote:
Grackle is all black, like a crow, starling is black with goldish/yellow streaks

jrcompton.com

jrscience.wcp.muohio.edu

 

[FireTigeris]

Quote:
What is wrong w/doves? Agree on starlings, some environmentalist wanted a natural remedy for corn borers. Real Good Idea, NOT. Kill them all. They are smart tho. When I go out with gun, they get themselves lost.

Please don't bring pigeons into this. I can agree that they carry diseases, but the paranoia of most people I find is alien to me. As a long-time pigeon owner we get this flak all the time. So I can safely say your accusation of pigeons being "rats of the sky" is inaccurate. How about the ducks which brought H1N1 to Australia? Many pigeons keepers disagree with your opinion and if you wanted to get technical you could maybe repost this on pigeontalk. And send me the link, too. I need a laugh for today.


That said, I would just make my coop "starling proof", walk inside with a large vacuum packer and well, you know the rest

Same thing people say about chickens...

and I have pet rats, pet rats are super clean... feral rats are only as clean as where they are... (not very/filthy)