Starling Control

Starlings are an invasive species that originate from Europe. They were introduced in the 1890's by the Shakespearean Society of New York, who released 100 Starlings in Central Park so that the citizens of NYC could enjoy all the wildlife species mentioned in the works of Shakespeare. The estimated 250 million Starlings in the United States today are all descended from that original 100.

Starlings congregate in large flocks and are aggressive in their search for food and nest sites. They'll destroy the eggs of native birds and lay their own in the nests, leaving the native birds to rear their young. Starlings will rip out attic vents to nest in attics. Their droppings are very acidic and can do damage to the wood siding, paint and other structural materials. They also do significant damage to crops, primarily grains, fruit, and berries.

Basic Starling info:

• Common breeding time – Spring and summer, February to July.
• Number of young – Four to six.
• Common diseases – Long term roost sites may cause disease risks to humans. For more information on these and other diseases carried by wildlife visit the Center for Disease Control website by clicking here.