Hello Dennis, and others ...

I say this at great risk, but as a devout conservationist. Starlings
are very smart birds, and I have found that if you "eliminate" one in
sight of its cohorts, the rest disperse and do not return. Ever! Now,
before all the hot mail comes in, just think for a moment how many
native birds you might be saving by safeguarding a valuable food and
energy source. Native birds rule in my yard - I have no sympathy
whatever for feathered rats. But if they leave the provided food
sources alone then they're free to pass without incident.

As to Robins flocking with starlings, yes. I've noticed the same thing
here for years now, and surmise they get some mutual benefit from the
association - much like other wild birds following chickadees to the
various feeders in the neighborhood. I've seen the Starlings dig and
peck through the lawns here with great vigor; could the Robins be
following after for the errant worm or two?

Robert Pisano
Ravenna Neighborhood / Seattle



On Jan 24, 2008, at 2:21 PM, Dennis Paulson wrote:

> I often defend starlings to people who despise them, saying it's our
> fault they are here, not theirs, and that's entirely true.
>
> But today they're straining my patience. I've had this nice suet
> feeder outside my window all winter, and it's bee a great source of
> joy, as bird after bird feeds from it, from flocks of Bushtits to a
> spectacular Pileated Woodpecker. Imagine a Townsend's Warbler on one
> side and a Bewick's Wren on the other.
>
> But today the starlings have come back into the neighborhood, and I've
> spent all morning chasing them off that feeder. They are shockingly
> persistent, just flying into the nearby trees when I yell, clap my
> hands, and/or wave things out the window, then returning within
> minutes or even seconds. They're too relaxed! As many as 10 gather,
> one on the suet, and it pecks so vigorously that enough suet falls to
> the ground to feed the hordes below. Flickers do the same thing, and
> it's great to see a wren or Varied Thrush picking up the pieces then.
> But the starlings can strip a suet feeder in no time, and I can't
> afford the time or money to replace it every few hours. Also, they
> keep the smaller birds off it, even giving the flickers pause when
> there are enough of them. I'd love to see a Pileated come in and
> scatter them.
>
> The flock finally flew away after about 15 minutes of my hassling
> them, but I know they'll be back.
>
> Now that they've returned for the spring (they are fortunately absent
> from this neighborhood in winter, I may have to take the suet down. We
> have another feeder in which the suet is impervious to starlings, but
> that's such a metal monstrosity that I don't really want it by my
> window. Not much I can do about it, as I can't spend every day running
> to the window 50 times, just venting.
>
> One interesting thing is that several times when the yard was full of
> starlings, it was also full of robins, and I get the distinct feeling
> that they may travel together, at least loosely.
> -----
> Dennis Paulson
> 1724 NE 98 St.
> Seattle, WA 98115
> 206-528-1382
> dennispaulson at comcast.net
>
>
>
>
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