You may have seen woodpeckers and chickadees coming to suet feeders, and so you hang one yourself, but instead of seeing these desirable birds, you find yourself with a flock of rowdy starlings. This is something many people face, and the good news is there are several effective solutions.
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Starlings are very good at taking over bird feeders, especially when they include suet. Their beaks are very soft and flexible so they are great at getting soft foods like suet, as well as hulling seeds. Woodpeckers have beaks that are designed to cut and remove wood to get to the insects that are under the bark of the wood. Because of this, they have to put in a lot of effort to remove the food. But, unlike woodpeckers, starlings do not have to do a lot of work to be able to grab and eat soft suet.
They get an advantage at the feeder. They come in loud groups and often push out smaller and more desirable birds like chickadees, nuthatches, and downy woodpeckers. After they find your suet feeder, they will come back every day, sometimes in huge amounts and they will make it hard for the native birds to get a turn.
Starlings are rude and relentless. They are not afraid to swarm a feeder, and their overwhelming numbers can outcompete the more timid species in your backyard. Being non-native and highly adaptable, they do especially well in suburban settings where there is plenty of food and little to no competition. This is why your suet feeder turns into their all-you-can-eat buffet.
Behavior like this can help you explain what you can do about the feeder. Since they’re not being mean, and simply taking advantage of an opportunity, they might leave the feeder alone if you change what and how you offer things.
Pro Tip
The upside-down feeder trick is effective because starlings are unable to feed and cling while inverted hanging. However, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees, do this every single day. This one simple change stops 90% of starling visits.
Selecting Appropriate Suet and Feeder Designs to Prevent Starlings
Not all suet is created equally, and varying the types of suet you offer can be helpful. Starlings are attracted to soft, easy-to-eat suet cakes, particularly those with seeds, nuts, or fruit. If you want to discourage starlings, go for pure suet or suet blends that are moreso firmer and harder to hold. Some companies create “no-melt” and/or “woodpecker-only” suet which is thicker and less desirable to starlings.
Safflower-based suet mixes are another option. Safflower seeds have a slight bitter flavor that starlings tend to avoid. However, woodpeckers, chickadees, and nuthatches don’t mind the taste. It’s an easy substitution that tilts the scale in your favor. Plus, it doesn’t compromise on the vitamins and minerals for the birds you want to attract.
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The design of the feeder is just as important as the suet! Upside down suet feeders are good at deterring starlings. Woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees are all quite comfortable feeding while upside down. This is how they naturally forage on tree trunks. On the other hand, starlings find feeding in this position difficult and will often give up.
A great choice is a caged suet feeder. These feeders have a cage that surrounds the suet that lets smaller birds through, but keeps out larger, bulkier starlings. The openings in the cage are normally about 1.5 inches. This is good for woodpeckers and other clinging birds, but it's too small for starlings to get through.
If you're a bit more handy, consider making a cage around the suet feeder using hardware cloth or chicken wire, if you don't have chicken wire you could still just buy some at the hardware store. Just make sure they are big enough for your target species, yet small enough to exclude the starlings. It's a good solution for the price, and you would be able to use it any time of the year.
Did You Know?
In 1890, European Starlings came to North America when a lover of Shakespeare released 60 of the birds in Central Park. Now, there are more than 200,000,000 starlings. This is why feeder design is so important.
Feeder Adjustments and Guards for Improved Results
Making changes to your current setup can help a lot. You can easily add a new weight-sensitive feeder, which will block access ports when a heavier bird lands on the perch. This means that Starlings will be blocked while lighter birds like chickadees, finches, or nuthatches will be free to feed.
Both seed and suet varieties can be found for weight-sensitive feeders, and many are adjustable so you can customize the sensitivity based on the birds in your area. If you have several nuisance species, like grackles or blackbirds, as well as starlings, this type of feeder is especially helpful.
If you’re using a tube feeder for seeds, think about putting a caged guard on it. Just like caged suet feeders, these metal cages create a barrier that only small birds can get through. While starlings are left to look from the outside, cardinals, finches, and chickadees can get to the food.
Changing where you put your feeders can also help with starling problems. They like open spaces because they can see approaching predators and take off easily. When you put your suet feeders closer to shrubs or trees, it makes the area feel more inviting to smaller, more timid birds, and it makes the area feel more covered and less inviting to the bold, flocking starlings. It still needs to be visible to you, though!
You might want to limit how much suet you put in your feeders. If you fill your feeders to the brim, a bunch of starlings will take over your feeder. If you fill it less, it will empty quicker and let other birds get a turn with less competition.
Additional Backyard Techniques to Attract Your Favorite Birds
Adjustments to feeders are important, but hardware concerns are only part of the picture of making a yard starling-resistant. One of the best options for long-term effectiveness is planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers, as these provide natural food sources and offer shelter. The native plants will attract insects, which will then in turn attract insectivorous birds, such as warblers, wrens, and woodpeckers, that starlings will not normally compete with.
Another great way to diversify the species of birds visiting your yard is by adding a source of clean water. A basic bird bath or a shallow dish can attract hummingbirds (even during migration), thrashers, and robins. Birds that might not be interested in typical feeders will visit water sources. Try to keep the water clean, and consider a fountain or dripper to keep the water flowing and fresh. Many birds will visit moving water.
You should try to think of Starlings’ food preferences when choosing which seeds to select. Starlings like soft, bread-like foods, cracked corn, and millet. Instead, select sunflower chips, nyjer seed or safflower. These seeds will attract finches, chickadees and cardinals, although starlings probably won’t be interested. Just changing your menu can shift the bird species that stop by your backyard!
If starlings are still coming despite your attempts, try removing the feeders for a couple of weeks. Starlings are very habitual, and in the absence of food, will move on. Once they have relocated, you can put the feeders back up with your new, starling-proof, set up.
The most important part is not getting rid of all wildlife, but rather getting rid of wildlife to make room to attract and support symbiotic native birds. With a positive combination of feeders, food, and habitat, you will be elated to see the various new species that will come. Enjoy the birds!
