Should I be concerned with Starlings on my lawn?

[Iamsomeone]

This is the first year I've noticed that we get nightly visits from flocks of starlings. I've read up on them and see they are a nuisance for people with fruit trees but I don't have any of those. I also read that Starlings eat grubs and have noticed a few of those in my lawn (for the first year as well).

While I am assuming the Starlings are eating grubs during their nightly visits, are they also eating my new tender shoots of grass? I notice a bunch of tiny holes in my lawn but it doesn't seem any worse than aerating, so far.

Should I be worried about the starlings - or the grubs? Does one take care of the other the way nature intended?

[ifwisheswerehorses]

Being discussed here: http://forums.castanet.net/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=67315

[Fancy]

Should I be worried about the starlings - or the grubs? Does one take care of the other the way nature intended?

They will get into soffits and nest. You don't want them.
http://www.rdno.ca/index.php/services/e ... ng-control

[GordonH]

As kid on the farm we would use them as target practise, as young kid pellet gun then older with a 22.

invasive species

Of course shooting guns in city limits is illegal

[ifwisheswerehorses]

My Dad uses a slingshot and he's pretty good at it but he knows that he also has to go out with a shovel since not all are killed with the first shot. That was the deal he made with my Mom, to make sure they suffer as little as possible and buried.

[OREZ]

It's true, Starlings are not a native species and can be a problem in some respects but they do not harm your lawn. They eat the grub worm (known as leatherjackets) of the of the Crane Fly. Leatherjackets, in large enough numbers however, may indeed harm your lawn.

You're never going to get rid of Starlings anyway, that's been tried for years and I still see lots and lots of Starlings. If your soffits are in good shape they won't get into your attic and nest and if you have no fruit trees I don't think the Starlings will bother you nearly as much as the Leatherjackets and the Crane Flies. If you watch a group of Starlings for a while and see how many of those grubs they somehow locate and pull out of your lawn in a short time you'll be amazed.

That's a good thing for your lawn and the little bit of aeration they provide doesn't hurt either.

[Fancy]

I'd rather see the blackbirds.

[OREZ]

Then go to a marshy area.

[Fancy]

Why?

Habitat
Look for Brewer’s Blackbirds in open habitats of the West, such as coastal scrub, grasslands, riversides, meadows, as well as lawns, golf courses, parks, and city streets.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bre ... ackbird/id
I've seen both starlings and blackbirds side by side - I'd rather see the blackbirds.

[OREZ]

Good for you.

Go out and eradicate all the Starlings then. Good luck with that.

[Fancy]

Good for you.

Go out and eradicate all the Starlings then. Good luck with that.

Where did I say anything about eradicating starlings? Have no intention on killing any of them. It's better though to discourage invasive species and allow the natives to thrive.

[Iamsomeone]

It's true, Starlings are not a native species and can be a problem in some respects but they do not harm your lawn. They eat the grub worm (known as leatherjackets) of the of the Crane Fly. Leatherjackets, in large enough numbers however, may indeed harm your lawn.

You're never going to get rid of Starlings anyway, that's been tried for years and I still see lots and lots of Starlings. If your soffits are in good shape they won't get into your attic and nest and if you have no fruit trees I don't think the Starlings will bother you nearly as much as the Leatherjackets and the Crane Flies. If you watch a group of Starlings for a while and see how many of those grubs they somehow locate and pull out of your lawn in a short time you'll be amazed.

That's a good thing for your lawn and the little bit of aeration they provide doesn't hurt either.

Thanks OREZ. That's exactly what I was hoping to hear!

It WAS amazing to see them fly in that first night. There was maybe 50 to 100 of them. They descended on one edge of the lawn and quickly munched their way right across the lawn to the other side. Then they were gone. Once I googled to find they eat grubs, I was pretty excited. It's like having my own little pest control company just the way nature intended.

I do have some other grubs in my lawn and am hoping they get them too. I've only found a few of them so far and think they are Japanese beetle. They are small white grubs in a coiled shape. Either way though, I'll be happy to see the Starlings do pest control on my lawn so long as they don't do too much damage to the turf. Since my soffits are good and I have no fruit trees, I'll just sit back and enjoy the show!

[Fancy]

Japanese beetle, European chafer and June beetle larvae - any of these what you are looking at?

[Iamsomeone]

Japanese beetle, European chafer and June beetle larvae - any of these what you are looking at?

Yes, that's the little devils! Mine are quite large like the one on the right. I'm enlarging a garden and as I'm digging out small portions of grass, I have found 3-4 of them in my lawn.

Then as I was digging through the dirt, I've found a couple bugs that look like wooden beads. I checked the images of June Fly and it may be it, though I'm not totally convinced. I was waiting for an opportunity to get a picture of them today while digging through the garden, but (un)fortunately I didn't find any today.

[Bpeep]

I put out a couple bowls of kibble each day for the birds.
They get shared by the pies, grackles, and starlings.