Not only are there many hundreds of thousands of them ,
But
They are staying here.
And the numbers are growing.

Just now they were in the neighborhood and I had to up the volume on the TV four digits, as they are too loud.


The field behind me is 40 acres and they filled it,
Not shoulder to shoulder,

But close to it.

We quit putting out bird food as it would only last four hours, ( two gallons worth)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bendable,

If you see Tippi Hedren or Rod Taylor, duck and cover.

Mortimer!

Are they protected??

Are you seeing murmurations?

Individual starlings are awkward fliers, but starling murmurations are beautifully graceful.

https://youtu.be/X0sE10zUYyY?si=RpaPnRf54hxB-EiP

We have those here. I don’t know what they eat, but it sure gives them healthy bowel habits.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Are they protected??

No. They are a not a native species, therefore you can do whatever you want.
Their arrival harkens back to New York, I believe, and a classical composer?

ETA: I’m wrong, it was a Shakespeare fan that released them.

https://youtu.be/US_9aeAHn8g?si=WsxzMTURf6IvMG1q

In case anyone doesn’t know, starlings were introduced from Europe in the late 1800’s, NY mostly. I think we’d be better off without them, but no getting rid of them.

Yes when they come here we take down bird feeders until they are gone. They shit all over everything. You can lookup, but I don't recommend it, what they have done to peoples cars in Europe.

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
Are you seeing murmurations?

Individual starlings are awkward fliers, but starling murmurations are beautifully graceful.

https://youtu.be/X0sE10zUYyY?si=RpaPnRf54hxB-EiP

I wonder if anyone has written a drone flying program to mimic a murmuring. My guess is it's already been modeled in 3D on a computer. I wonder if said algorithm is true to nature or an imperfect approximation.

Yes they have I've seen them on face book and YouTube

Starlings are considered an " Invasive Species " and are not Federally Protected but may fall under some local regs .

Mortimer!

quote:

Originally posted by irreverent:
Their arrival harkens back to New York, I believe, and a classical composer?

ETA: I’m wrong, it was a Shakespeare fan that released them.

Yup. There was a reacclimation program back in the day and the idea was to bring all of the birds mentioned in the complete works of Shakespeare to the New World.

The starlings are mentioned only one time. One was to be trained to say 'Mortimer!' so as to (annoyingly) not have him be forgotten after he died.

They brought 60 birds from jolly ol' England and let them loose in Central Park, N.Y.

If I am correct they are a nuisance to aviation and airports.

My problem is seagulls all over the place. It is made worse with tourists feeding them.

While living in Denver ,back in the 1900's it was Geese,

Airports and golf courses.