Subject: Starling "infestation" --HELP!
Date: Mar 18 11:17:03 2000
From: Jacki Bricker - seaotter at eskimo.com


Hi all,

I've been pondering this problem for a long time, and have been unable to
arrive at an adequate solution on my own. Now I need to solicit the help of
the collective Tweeters brainpower.

My husband and I own a home with a tile roof. While it is a wonderful
roofing materials, it has some unusual characteristics in that it requires
air flow in and around it. Long story short, there are some gaps in the
corners of the roofing material by the eave edges that...well, it's enough
space for starlings to nest in.

We have had this problem for three years. Last year we STAPLE-GUNNED screen
cone-shaped blockades into the corners. Would you believe it; the starlings
PULLED OUT the staples, and nested in there anyway.

Lo and behold (and not surprisingly), the starlings are at it again now. I
have no compunctions about getting rid of the nest if there is just nest
materials, or maybe eggs in there. I know that many people on this list
will disagree with my opinion on this, but if the babies have already
hatched, then I feel strongly about leaving them there. I will not kill a
nest full of nestlings.

This leaves me with a conundrum. I need to do something fast to block these
birds from the roof of my house. Does anyone have any terrific ideas for
blocking the space between roof material and the eaves/gutter area? I need
to do something QUICKLY.

Thanks in advance for any help,

-Jacki Bricker
Woodinville, Washington