How to Remove Starlings
Starlings are birds clssified as small to medium sized and sport bright colors. They are very vocal and attempt to imitate the sounds of the world around them, including human voices, car alarms, and sirens from police and emergency vehicles. While not native to the United States, they are often found in North America and Hawaii. The common starling is an invasive species and is not as protected as the North American Woodpecker or similar birds that require special care be taken for their removal. However, you should be knowledgable of local legislation regarding their protection before you attempt to trap, remove, exclude, or exterminate these birds.
Trapping Starlings with Kill Traps
Starling traps must be baited in order to capture these European birds. They can be trapped in what are called nest boxes with kill traps inside. While this is awfully inhuman practice, it can be effective at reducing starling population in your area. Extra care should be used by homeowners and do-it-yourself-ers to avoid capturing and killing protected species of wildlife and birds in the process. Hefty fines for violating animal rights protection acts in the United states that can amount to several thousand dollars.
Live Trapping Starlings
Keeping starlings away from your home can be accomplished with nest boxes described in the previous section. However, instead of a kill trap, you can design the trap to simply contain the starlings so that you can remove them. As we say repeatedly on this site, trapping comes with the responsibility of maintaining the trap and monitoring it to see if you've ensnared this species of bird, or any other species. Our technicians avoid trapping because it is time-consuming and may lead to the accidental death of other wildlife species or birds that fall under federal protections.
Using Nest Boxes for Exclusion
Exclusion of the starling from your attic or screened in porch can be accomplished with nest boxes that provide a way for starlings to exit to the exterior of your home. Along with repairing any damage to your home that provides a starling a point of entry, installing a nest box with a one-way door to the outside can be a great way to help these little birds find a home somewhere else. It's a much kinder way to evict these non-rent-paying tenants without dealing with the cleanup of dead birds and handling the proper disposal of their carcasses.
Avoiding Nesting Season
Trapping, removing, and excluding nuisance animals during their nesting or mating season complicates the process. Some species may have squatters' rights in your attic simply because they are with child or are nursing their young. In the case of the starling, there is no legal action from trapping during this season, but you may find that your starling problem is not completely handled because some offspring remain behind. Once a human comes into contact with a starling nest, or almost any other bird nest, the parents will completely ignore them. The innocent baby birds will eventually die and cause an awful odor. Avoid doing any trapping or extermination of starlings during this season if you can.