# Grackles and starlings



## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

At the bird feeder, I am getting overwhelmed by starlings and grackles, particularly the grackles. What am I to do? I put the seed and suet blocks out for the other birds and the starlings and grackles take over. I haven't seen the woodpeckers in a few days. 
How do I get rid of them?


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

Petronius said:


> At the bird feeder, I am getting overwhelmed by starlings and grackles, particularly the grackles. What am I to do? I put the seed and suet blocks out for the other birds and the starlings and grackles take over. I haven't seen the woodpeckers in a few days.
> How do I get rid of them?


I know how I got rid of mine but I don't think you can do that where you live


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Scout 2 said:


> I know how I got rid of mine but I don't think you can do that where you live


WHat? Come on, I live a mile north of Detroit. I shoot rats out of the bathroom window. No one even notices.
Ok, to be honest, I use a pump .22 pellet gun.


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

Grackles are native and therefor, cool. Starlings are invasive, and therefor bad.

MANY MANY moons ago the gun clubs on the east coast used to have starling shoots, I believe every Wednesday during the warm weather months. I have no heard of such a thing for a very long time. Like many good things, it seems to have come to an end.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

Petronius said:


> What? Come on, I live a mile north of Detroit. I shoot rats out of the bathroom window. No one even notices.
> Ok, to be honest, I use a pump .22 pellet gun.


Just like shooting trap or skeet


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

They only really hit feeders when they have hatchlings. Once the babies are out of the nest (usually about 2-3 weeks), they will disperse, and won't be dogging your feeders much. Until then, you could not fill your feeders for a bit........


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

Fishndude said:


> They only really hit feeders when they have hatchlings. Once the babies are out of the nest (usually about 2-3 weeks), they will disperse, and won't be dogging your feeders much. Until then, you could not fill your feeders for a bit........


The ones we have around here must be Bernie birds because once they find free food they keep coming back. That is until the end of the loud pop


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

I've those birds and Jays. I let it go empty for several days and they move on. My seed feeder does not hold the weight of the larger birds before it closes off the access.


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

All birds are welcome at my feeder i have lots of them .They squabble occasionally but get along most of the time .Them red bellied woodpeckers and Hairy wood peckers seem to be the most aggressive .Cardinals can be feisty also .


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Big Frank 25 said:


> I've those birds and Jays. I let it go empty for several days and they move on. My seed feeder does not hold the weight of the larger birds before it closes off the access.


You gave me an idea for the suet cage. It has two folding pieces that the bird can rest on when pecking at the block. I am going to remove them. The woodpeckers never use them, they just hang on the cage, sometimes upside down.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Thirty pointer said:


> All birds are welcome at my feeder i have lots of them .They squabble occasionally but get along most of the time .Them red bellied woodpeckers and Hairy wood peckers seem to be the most aggressive .Cardinals can be feisty also .


I don't have a problem with the grackles and starlings eating seed, I buy the cheap stuff at Meijer. It's when they attack the suet blocks I put out at 10:00 in the morning and the block is gone by 3:00 in the afternoon. When the grackles are gone, the block can last two days or more.


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## eucman (Jan 24, 2009)

Petronius said:


> I don't have a problem with the grackles and starlings eating seed, I buy the cheap stuff at Meijer. It's when they attack the suet blocks I put out at 10:00 in the morning and the block is gone by 3:00 in the afternoon. When the grackles are gone, the block can last two days or more.


I usually suspend suet availability until fall. The Downey and red bellied woodpeckers eat the sunflower seeds all summer.
Stop feeding for a bit and the black birds may move on


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

I wouldn't worry about it really.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Nostromo said:


> I wouldn't worry about it really.


I worry about the extra money this is costing me. Money better spent on bacon and Godiva chocolates.


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## Nostromo (Feb 14, 2012)

Any money spent on bacon is money well spent.


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

Petronius said:


> You gave me an idea for the suet cage. It has two folding pieces that the bird can rest on when pecking at the block. I am going to remove them. The woodpeckers never use them, they just hang on the cage, sometimes upside down.


I did that from day one. Too much for them to grab.


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## Perferator (Oct 18, 2003)

Petronius said:


> WHat? Come on, I live a mile north of Detroit. I shoot rats out of the bathroom window. No one even notices.
> Ok, to be honest, I use a pump .22 pellet gun.


:lol:

Pellet gun works great for such and keeps your shooting skills in good shape.


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## DecoySlayer (Mar 12, 2016)

Nostromo said:


> Any money spent on bacon is money well spent.


Only if it is good bacon. The stuff in the grocery store sucks.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

DecoySlayer said:


> Only if it is good bacon. The stuff in the grocery store sucks.


Costco has good bacon


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

I put duct tape on the top part of the cage that holds the suet, then taped a small plastic bottle to the top. The large birds can’t maneuver on the cage in order to peck at the suet. It’s fun to watch them try. The smaller birds can grab hold of the cage and still get some. The small woodpeckers can hang upside down on it.


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