The European starling is a compact, upright bird of about 19 cm to 21 cm, a little larger and glossier than a house sparrow. In the breeding season the plumage looks black at a distance but shows strong green and purple iridescence in sunlight, and the bill turns bright yellow. In winter the bill darkens and the whole body becomes heavily speckled with white and buff spots. The tail is short and square, the wings are triangular in flight and the legs are reddish. Young birds are plain greyish brown. Starlings walk rather than hop, probing lawns with the bill, and gather in large noisy flocks that wheel together in the air. Their calls include whistles, rattles and mimicry of other birds.
Starlings are loud and untidy, so an active site is rarely a mystery for long.
European starlings were introduced to North America in the late nineteenth century and spread across the continent. They are cavity nesters that adapted easily to buildings, so soffits, roof vents, exhaust hoods, gable openings, signage boxes and gaps behind fascia all serve as nest sites. They feed on insects, grubs, fruit and grain, so large lawns, sports fields, parks, orchards, farms and food processing sites support them well. In autumn and winter they form very large communal roosts in trees, on warm rooftops and in bridge structures, which is where the heaviest droppings problems come from. Buildings across the GTA, Ottawa and Hamilton with open soffits or unscreened vents and a lawn or field nearby are prime sites, and birds return to the same cavity each year.
Starlings do not threaten people directly, but they cause more damage than most urban birds. Nest material packed into dryer and exhaust vents blocks airflow and is a fire risk. Nests in soffits and roof voids soak up moisture and lead to staining, rot and insulation damage. Large roosts produce droppings in volume, which corrode paint, metal and masonry, make walkways slippery and create hygiene problems for food businesses and loading areas. Accumulated droppings and nest debris are associated with fungal and bacterial organisms, so heavy build up should be cleaned with proper protection rather than swept dry. Nests also support bird mites and beetles that move into living and working space. Starlings compete strongly with native cavity nesting birds, which is part of why they are managed differently.
Every opening on the building is a potential nest site, so treat them as a set rather than one at a time.
We are licensed, insured and bonded, and we work in homes, apartments, condos and businesses across the Toronto GTA, Ottawa and Hamilton.
The European starling is an introduced species and is not covered by the federal migratory bird protections that apply to most native birds. Other rules can still apply, so we work within them and do not give legal advice.
Starlings are larger and louder, with whistles and rattles rather than flat chirps, and they leave coarser nest material trailing from the opening. We confirm it on inspection.
Packed grass and straw block airflow in a dryer or exhaust duct, and the material is dry and flammable. It should be cleared and the vent fitted with a guard.
Starlings form large communal roosts outside the breeding season for warmth and safety. Roosts shift, but a site with shelter and food nearby can be used for weeks.
They return to a cavity that worked before. If the opening is sealed and the surrounding vents are screened, they move on rather than rebuild.
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Other pests we deal with that often turn up in the same places.
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