Starlings

[Michael Lenz <>]

Nathan,

wondering whether the Starlings are roosting in your area, hence the large numbers (any estimate of numbers?)?

Michael lenz

On 3 April 2015 at 16:40, Nathanael Coyne <> wrote:

Near the Jamison Centre.

I haven't been very vigilant, but the last time I saw a starling in the area was June 2013, and that was a lone bird feeding.

This current flock seems to be mostly juveniles? Guessing by tail length, beak colour.

They do split up but into groups no smaller than a dozen birds.

Nathanael Coyne (Boehm)

www.purecaffeine.com

Canberra, Australia
0431 698 580

On 3 April 2015 at 15:31, Philip Veerman <> wrote:

Interesting, where are you? Starlings were in huge numbers in the 1980s and are generally in decline since then. COG was commissioned to do a study of them. In the late 1980s, concern about the status of the Common Starling was sufficient for the ACT Government to engage COG in a survey of distribution and movements of its post-breeding flocks. The report of this study by Crawford (1990) lists locations of major feeding and roosting sites and discusses problems of monitoring and controlling this species. It highlights the population size at that time. That was: Crawford, I. 1990, ‘Distribution and movements of post-breeding flocks of the Common Starling, Sturnus vulgaris Linn., in the Canberra area’, Unpublished 38 page report to COG & ACT Government.

 

Many years ago there would barely be a daytime hour without large numbers feeding on the lawn on my back yard (Kambah). Those were generally wetter years and they like damper grass. However in the past few years I have not seen even one perched or on the ground in my yard, only the rare one or a few, flying over. Indeed many days or maybe weeks of not seeing them in general around town. Still are significant flocks around Jerrabomberra wetlands, Tuggeranong and Civic (well those are the ones I know about).

 

Philip

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Nathanael Coyne [
Sent: Friday, 3 April 2015 1:54 PM
To: COG Mailing List
Subject: [canberrabirds] Starlings

Just when the Red Wattlebirds thought they had the run of the place …

Our street has become overrun with starlings the past few weeks, sending the Wattlebirds into hiding. Even the Currawongs are keeping their head down, overwhelmed by the sheer numbers.

Apparently the myna trap works for starlings too? I've yet to trap a starling, but then I've never seen them in this quantity before. It'll be like a bear in a stream while the salmon are running.

Nathanael Coyne (Boehm)

www.purecaffeine.com

Canberra, Australia
0431 698 580