STARLINGS

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Butterfly
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Butterfly » Sat Mar 30, 2019 11:29 am

As I was opening the curtains this morning, I caught a scene of 2 starlings fighting on the ground :eek: . It looked like a vicious fight, and than they all flew off as I opened the door. They are always very chatty, and they have their little bickerings all the time, but I don't usually see them being vicious to each other, they usually like each other's company, despite their little quarrels. It seem they are more aggressive now that they are feeding their young maybe :shrug:

Jacksparrow
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Jacksparrow » Sat Mar 30, 2019 9:43 pm

Butterfly wrote:
Sat Mar 30, 2019 11:29 am
As I was opening the curtains this morning, I caught a scene of 2 starlings fighting on the ground :eek: . It looked like a vicious fight, and than they all flew off as I opened the door. They are always very chatty, and they have their little bickerings all the time, but I don't usually see them being vicious to each other, they usually like each other's company, despite their little quarrels. It seem they are more aggressive now that they are feeding their young maybe :shrug:
Maybe fighting over a mate :shrug:

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Butterfly
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Butterfly » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:06 am

Jacksparrow wrote:
Sat Mar 30, 2019 9:43 pm
Butterfly wrote:
Sat Mar 30, 2019 11:29 am
As I was opening the curtains this morning, I caught a scene of 2 starlings fighting on the ground :eek: . It looked like a vicious fight, and than they all flew off as I opened the door. They are always very chatty, and they have their little bickerings all the time, but I don't usually see them being vicious to each other, they usually like each other's company, despite their little quarrels. It seem they are more aggressive now that they are feeding their young maybe :shrug:
Maybe fighting over a mate :shrug:
Oh that didn't occur to me :eek: , that is a probability indeed , it was very heated :fence:, thanks Jack. They kept at it all day yesterday, not fighting on the lawn but chasing each other and yelling. It was a really different sound and behaviour from their usual squabbling :nod:

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Biker
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Biker » Mon Apr 01, 2019 11:58 pm

I have a native Starling that has returned here for at least five years now. He is an amazing mimic and his calls are easy to identify. Never see him eat, but he protects the food source with some vigour. He sits over the food source on the top end of the clothes line pole and allows only one other Starling to feed (presumably his partner). He hangs around for a while when the youngsters are learning their craft and then clears off for another year.
We call him 'stroppy'. He will chase any bird off of the feeders and has been seen to fight other birds.
He could be protecting his partner, or fighting for her, or protecting the food source or the nest for his partner and family.
Either way, it's perfectly natural.
It is highly unusual for a Starling to cause any serious injury to another Starling - mainly superficial - so you can afford to enjoy the drama unfolding.

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Butterfly
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Butterfly » Tue Apr 02, 2019 11:43 am

Thanks for that info Biker :yes: , its good to know that they are not likely to seriously hurt each other :nod: , I was a bit worried. Its a group of starlings that come to eat here every day, and I believe they brought up their young in my garden last year because they were here constantly :D . They keep chasing each other and making these unusual noises, and I'm not sure if its just 2 of them or maybe few are involved. It does look like they are trying to win mates and have babies, its all looks very hormonal :laugh: . I will sit in my living room and enjoy all the drama :hyper: :D

Willpar
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Willpar » Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:18 am

Starlings are eating me out of house and home at the moment. Everything I put out is being snapped up, either by eating on the spot or taking away for their young. Soaked mealworms are lasting minutes, am putting out two dishes at a time of those. But only twice a day, I just cant keep up with it.

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Butterfly
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Butterfly » Wed Apr 24, 2019 11:23 am

Same here Willpar, I have to restrict soaked mealworms offerings to 3 times a day, and it gets eaten/taken away to nestlings in 2 minutes flat :hyper: . My poor robin has to be very quick in taking his share, he/she usually comes and lands right next to my feet and waits for me to throw some on the ground, and takes them before starlings come back :nod:

Willpar
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Willpar » Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:42 am

Search party.


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Butterfly
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Butterfly » Sun May 05, 2019 10:38 am

They fledged!!! :flying: :woohoo: :clap: :hyper: . I got woken up at 6.50am this morning by the familiar screaming :woohoo: :D

Willpar
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Re: STARLINGS

Post by Willpar » Sun May 05, 2019 12:59 pm

Not seen any fledglings here yet. Wont be long I would have thought.

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