STARLINGS ?.

The number of Starlings seen in Britain's Gardens has fallen by 79% since 1979.
Now The Royal Society For The Protection of Birds,who released the figures,will begin a study to discover the reasons for the decline.
They said"It would be a tragedy if numbers continue to plummet".

One of my views on this subject can be seen in the changes of Garden Layouts over the years.
I have lived in this area for 50 years,and most of the Gardens have changed from Grassy Lawns and flower and shrub areas,to Concrete and slabs,parking areas,decking areas,leaving less areas for the birds to feed on.
I remember my back lawn,some 30 years ago,there were so many Starlings, I could not see the lawn!.
I have changed my areas,over the years.I have Driveways ,Decking,Slabs,Stones,
and I have reduced my lawn area by @ 50%, giving less areas for birds to feed on insects, Worms etcetera.
This Is only my view,do you think how we have changed over the years could be one of the Factors in Bird Numbers Declining ?.
Starling Murmuration's have fallen in our area dramatically over the years.

 

We get Starlings nesting in the eaves every year. Didn't realise their numbers have dropped - such a shame.

They seem to be very adaptable - whenever I visit one of our local supermarkets, there are tons of them in the car park picking up bits of whatever they can find. They are quite bold as well.

 

Theres still buckets of them on the Somerset Levels, but nothing like the numbers that were around when I was a Ziglet.

 

30+ years ago we used to get the flocks of Starlings roosting in the Dingle at the end of out street. Only get the odd one now and then now. Our gardens have not change a lot during these years in fact I have more lawn now than 30 years ago. Also House Sparrows have declined, but not here still have them by the dozen throughout the day.

Trevor

 

we have loads at our supermarket and I know another place, its a large concrete area belonging to a veg wholesale market, they live in the eaves of the units there, maybe they eat the veg scraps which are everywhere?
I like their chirping and that they are so alive. Nice glinting feathers too.
Yes its right, they seem to be quite adaptable.
But its also true that there is so much paving and concrete nowadays, if you would just add up the area in Britain which is covered by roads alone..

 

Maybe Chuck Berry scared them off.

 

My lawn is covered with them and they seem to be from europe not native ones. The reasoning behind this, is that all through winter we had very few in the fields and none in the garden for the RSPB gardenwatch. Then the birds started to flock, low and behold the numbers grew but now they are just holding up. Seems to me they are heading back across the water.

 

Yes , even last year they were all at my feeders . Sadly , I have only seen a couple this year. Valid point OP:patpat:

 

Still plenty of them here, 20-30 birds every day, as soon as I put the bird food out they're straight there knicking all the mealworms and suet pellets.

I also see all the neighbourhood Starlings (100's of them ) gathering at night to roost in some nearby trees..

 

I had about three dozen on my lawn today pecking for grubs and a good half dozen or so fight over my bird bath to, I'm fed up filling it up.

I find House Sparrows are real pests. I'm having an ongoing battle to stop them nesting under my roof tiles and they make such a racket, as bad as budgies. I know they are protected, but how I wish I could get rid of them.

 

In the last few years there have been less and less here,only had 2 in the garden last year...but this year have seen a dozen or more so far so hopefully they are on the increase

 

I have hundreds visit the garden every day .. i keep the bird house topped up with suet and various seeds ...and have 5 fat ball feeders in the tree which they love .. also have Great Tits / Sparrows / Blue Tits / Collard Doves / and Gold Finches .. oh and pesky pigeons .. Micky

 

I get some in my garden now and then, and they were around in the winter eating the suet balls i put out. I mainly see sparrows now instead, not sure where the starlings have gone :(

 

I'm not particularly keen on Starlings as i've only ever seen them bullying the Sparrows to get to food so it's the Sparrows i feel sorry for. I would have thought that Sparrow numbers had dwindled more over the years than Starling numbers to be honest. Having said that i've had Starlings nesting in my soffit for the last few years that get in via a hole in my neighbours soffit, so although i'm kind of pleased that some form of wildlife has chosen my house to make their own, i'd far rather have the Blue Tits back in their boxes but they stayed vacant last year, i think, due to the Starlings in and out all day.