STARLINGS (Sturnus vulgaris)

Starlings are robin sized birds, black in color, with speckles on their body and wings. They are about 3-4 oz in weight with yellow beaks (during the breeding cycle). Young starlings are gray in color.

They consume a wide variety of foods, from seeds and fruit to insects. They are not opposed to helping themselves to garbage and compost bins(major problem for grocery stores, as they gain entry into the stores from these bins).

Starlings nest from April to mid July. Females will lay 4-7 eggs which hatch within two weeks. The young leave the nest at 3 weeks of age. Females may have two broods per nesting season.

Nests are built anywhere, however, the most popular places are in the eaves/soffits of homes and the dryer /bathroom ventilation systems of homes. They pull nesting materials into these areas and they raise their young. Ventilation systems can be torn and/or plugged rendering the system useless. If nests are not removed, fleas and mites can soon take over and end up in the home through bathroom fans. In some instances, the young/adults end up down over the fan and are trapped-thus dying and causing unpleasant odors.

There are several approaches to prevent or eliminate starlings from roosting or from gaining entry into buildings. At Advanced Wildlife Control, I offer different methods of solving your starling problem. Call 497-2582.

Section 51 of the Revised Statutes of the Wildlife Act states that unless you have a valid permit issued by the Department of Natural Resources, you cannot remove any nests and their contents or trap any bird in the province of Nova Scotia. Failure to comply can result in charges under stated section of the Wildlife Act.

According to Department of Natural Resources record keeping, Advanced Wildlife Control does more Starling removals than any other company in N.S. - a testament to our professionalism and reasonable prices.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the company you hire has the necessary permit(s). Most, if not all air duct/ventilation cleaning companies do not have permits as most exterminators do not. Check first and save yourself possible headaches in the future.