Ken Boettger wrote

< Starlings are an introduced exotic species that parasite the nests of
native
birds. They kill the mother's eggs by removing them from the nest and then
they lay their own leaving the native bird to raise them.
I am not advocating this, but... some folks enjoy using a BB gun to reduce
starling populations and advocate it to others under the premise that if
enough folks started shooting them, they could be controlled (humans have
the ability to hunt species until they become 'locally' extinct). They say
to make sure you have a safe backstop (wall of a garage, shed or large
fence) to stop the BB's and to hang the suet feeder within 10 feet or so of
a window. There have been suggestions of placing a garbage can below the
feeder with a plastic bag liiner. Others find it distasteful. All I know, as

a former range and wildlife ecologist, is that they disrupt the native
ecology something terrible. They are also very aggressive and drive the
other birds away from one's feeders. You will have more woodpeckers,
chickadees, nuthatches and such if there were someway to control the
starling populations. But, I am just sharing info here and I am not
advocating the use of BB guns. But I found it rather entertaining to find a
website dedicated to just this.>


We are an introduced species too and do far more damage than a Starling
does, should we shoot ourselves? cats left out at night kill millions of
birds and they are introduced, should we start killing cats too? How
pathetic is this statement,
I have an abundant amount of birds in my garden including Starlings and a
list as long as your suet orders!
call yourself a birder, you should be ashamed of yourself.





Martyn

Redmond, Washington

http://www.naturesound.org







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