Bird Bullying in my Backyard

Clearly, I need an attitude adjustment. I’m out of sorts and European Starlings are the cause. What happened, you ask? It all started with bluebird bullying.

Last year I was thrilled to have a pair of Mountain Bluebirds take up residence and successfully fledge five young. Their return this year sent me over the moon. I dutifully cared for this pair of celestial-blue Mountain Bluebirds. My morning routine included feeding “my” bluebirds. After a couple weeks, they seemed to wait for my arrival. The male often flittered overhead as I approached the feeding ground with the daily special—fat, juicy mealworms.

The pair was busy--actively carrying nesting material into the box, preening and establishing their territory. All was well with the world, until it wasn’t.

European Starlings (grrrrrrr) arrived. And harassed. And bullied. The pestering continued until one morning I went out and no bluebirds greeted me. Only ravenous starlings. I’m generally an easy going person--not much gets my knickers in a knot--but this eviction caused me great irritation and disappointment.

The European Starling is a small fellow by bullying standards—about three ounces, and actually sports a striking, iridescent green, polka-dot plumage. Perhaps I needed to channel my inner Roger Tory Peterson, who “admired the starling for its gumption.” Nope, not happening. Here’s the deal.

The European Starling is an introduced species—hailing from across the pond. Blame it Mr. Eugene Schieffelin—a New Yorker who desired to bring every bird mentioned by Shakespeare into North America. On the snowy morning of March 6, 1890, Eugene set sixty starlings free in Central Park. And the rest, as they say, is history. When an introduced species joins the throng, it has almost no competition and runs roughshod over native birds competing for resources—often posing a threat to biodiversity. And with numbers over 2 million and counting, it seems starlings aren’t going away anytime soon.

So what’s a peace-seeking, bluebird-loving woman to do? I’ve caged my feeders to discourage the starlings and I’m hanging onto hope for the Mountain Bluebird’s return next year. In the meantime, a delightful House Wren sits out my window singing a tune. And that’s a good thing.

Have a Bluebird Day!

Carol