Starlings nesting in my roof (1 Viewer)

Hello all,
I'm not a bird watcher and unfortunately I do not know much on the subject at all. I'm here looking for some good advice on the subject of how to humanely discourage Starlings form renesting under the roof of my house. Last March we moved into a bungalow in a Housing estate and under the roof tiles of each of the four corners of the house were four Starling nests. While it was very nice to watch the birds behavior and feeding, they made quite a mess and were very noisy. Am i correct in saying that they are birds of habit and will probably come back to nest in the same place again?

Firstly, can you tell me when Starlings start building their nests? I live in Ireland.

Secondly, to deter them renesting I was planning to place four speakers in the attic in each corner and connect it to an audio source playing a sound file that will frighten them away. Is this a humane way to deal with the problem and if so, what sound file would you recommend I play? - Somebody recommended a recording of a Magpie??

Would a physical decoy Bird of prey work also?

I'm sure this is a common question asked, but I like to know if my methods described above will work and are humaine.

Thanking you.

Close off the holes that allow them to get under the roof tiles is my wife. Starlings are cavity nesters.

And you´re sure that your birds are starlings and not house sparrows??

You are correct Starlings will return to successful nests. I have two pairs that return every year and use 2 out of 4 sites that they've used for the 26 years we've lived here. When they start to build a nest depends on weather and food availability, but normally mine start gathering new nest material in March or early April.

If you are determined to discourage them then as Kyle says just roll up some wire netting and stuff it in the entrance hole. You will need to secure whatever you use as they will work quite hard at getting it out of the way! You need to check for other similar holes and block them too. As long as you do this before February, say, then there is little chance of you impacting their breeding cycle...... other than making them temporarily homeless!

Could you make a nest box with the right sized hole and place it in an acceptable location nearby.......?

Starlings ain't as common as they used to be.

Mick

MTem said:

You are correct Starlings will return to successful nests. I have two pairs that return every year and use 2 out of 4 sites that they've used for the 26 years we've lived here. When they start to build a nest depends on weather and food availability, but normally mine start gathering new nest material in March or early April.

If you are determined to discourage them then as Kyle says just roll up some wire netting and stuff it in the entrance hole. You will need to secure whatever you use as they will work quite hard at getting it out of the way! You need to check for other similar holes and block them too. As long as you do this before February, say, then there is little chance of you impacting their breeding cycle...... other than making them temporarily homeless!

Could you make a nest box with the right sized hole and place it in an acceptable location nearby.......?

Starlings ain't as common as they used to be.

Mick

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My brother did that, but not securely enough and guess what? Yep, the pulled it out a nested again.

Andy Hurley said:

My brother did that, but not securely enough and guess what? Yep, the pulled it out a nested again.

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Yes Andy, I know!
When we moved into the house (Victorian Coach House) in spring '89 I kept finding balls of wire netting around the house, and several male starlings singing happily from the roof ridge or phone lines. It took a while to figure out the previous owner (who only lived there a year or so) had tried to dissuade then but not pushed the netting in well enough.

I only replaced one that is above the front door and had to wire it in place. The other 4 locations are all tolerable and I like to have them around....., and the sparrows (4pairs for the first time last year), and the pied wagtail (1 pair) and the jackdaws (lots). Never mind roosting wrens and tits and dozens of bats behind the hung tiles.

I've put up some boxes nearby, but they just get used by any overspill it seems. (1 starling 2 jackdaw and 2 sparrow). The house cavities are first occupied and fought over every year. In fact I noticed just yesterday that sparrows and starlings were already going in and out of the favourite 2 locations. No nest building, just staking a claim I suppose.

Who'd want a new house eh?
Mick

MTem said:

Could you make a nest box with the right sized hole and place it in an acceptable location nearby.......?

Starlings ain't as common as they used to be.

Click to expand...

Definitely, yes! Starling is red-listed with a 70 or 80% decline in population in recent years, we should do all we can to help them out.

Another option - would you be able to put some sort of shelf below the nest holes to catch the droppings? That way, they could still use them without making a mess below.

There are plenty around Horley and Dorking, it seems:t:

Hi bobrien, block the holes as advised, that should work. Alternatively, count your blessings and focus on the positive. In my area of Bray, starlings and house sparrows have disappeared, and nation-wide we're looking at a 50% drop at least. A little bird poo disappears with the autumn rain, and no point lamenting the decline in polar bears or whales if we ignore the declines in species we can actually help. Maybe talk to your starlings, tell 'em to come to my house, where they'd be more than welcome!:t:

Starlings 'can' be noisy nesters so it's not surprising that some people dislike them doing so in their roof, but fortunately I only hear the nestlings in my roof over the front door as I leave the house. The house sparrows I don't hear a peep from in the nest, only the chirruping of the males on the guttering outside the nests. I'd hate for either to stop nesting in my roof, it gives me a very warm feeling to know they are there and I get so much entertainment from them.