Starlings and grackles are driven off by removing food and roosting sites and using deterrents, since both gather in large flocks. Starlings are invasive and not protected, while grackles are native but can be deterred. Here is what works.
- Both birds gather in large, noisy flocks.
- Remove food and roosting sites to drive them off.
- Starlings are invasive and not protected.
- Combine and rotate deterrents, since flocks habituate.
Tell Them Apart
Starlings are small, stocky, and iridescent with a short tail. Grackles are larger with a long tail and yellow eye. Both form large flocks and are drawn to open food sources.
Remove Food
Both birds are drawn by bird feeders, spilled grain, open trash, and pet food. Remove or squirrel-proof feeders, secure trash, and clean up spilled seed. Without food, the flock moves on. Not sure if this is a DIY job? Take the DIY vs. pro quiz first.
Remove Roosting Sites
Both roost in trees and on buildings in large groups. Prune dense trees near the house, and use deterrents on ledges and rooflines where they gather at dusk.
Use Deterrents
Reflective tape, discs, and owl decoys discourage roosting, but flocks habituate, so combine and reposition them. Starlings are invasive and not protected, so removal is legal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Remove food sources and roosting sites, and use deterrents like reflective tape and owl decoys. Flocks habituate, so combine methods.
No, starlings are invasive and not protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so deterrence and removal are legal.
Grackles are native and protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so they can be deterred but not harmed, and active nests cannot be disturbed.
Food sources like bird feeders and spilled grain, and roosting sites like dense trees and ledges. Removing both drives them off.
