# Can someone remove a nest of starlings legally? help babies involved



## yopigeonguy (Oct 22, 2009)

I am doing some summer yard work, and there is this man that has a nest of starlings and is asking me to take it out or do it himself. I say I would not, but then thinking again, if he does it the babies will die! So is it even legal to take it out, because technically you would not be touching the bird? I tell him not to but, then again what can I do? It’s his property!

Help,

Kevin


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## yopigeonguy (Oct 22, 2009)

help me please!


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

Legally speaking, he can do whatever he wants. Starlings are not native to the USA and are thus considered invasive, just like grackles and yes even feral pigeons. Thats how cities and industries are allowed to destroy the birds, legally speaking.


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## Keith C. (Jan 25, 2005)

The law may be different in Canada.
There are starling rescues.
Keith


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## yopigeonguy (Oct 22, 2009)

Just contacted my rehab center,starling are a NEW INTRODUCED SPECIES so they are not protected! looks like i am going to have another try at starlings! i need help!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

If he's just leave them a couple of weeks, they will be off on thier own. It just takes birds a little bit to grow up.


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## yopigeonguy (Oct 22, 2009)

I know!
but he doesnt seem to care about them! when will people grow up?


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## cvarnon (Mar 8, 2010)

Matt Bell said:


> Legally speaking, he can do whatever he wants. Starlings are not native to the USA and are thus considered invasive, just like grackles and yes even feral pigeons. Thats how cities and industries are allowed to destroy the birds, legally speaking.


I see you are near Dallas? Me too. So I assume we are talking about great tailed grackles?

The law on them is different I believe. I'm trying to find the official info, but it eludes me for the moment. They aren't invasive, so they are protected in parts. But I believe because they are expanding so well and becoming an agricultural nuisance it is legal to control them in certain circumstances. They are still regulated, and you can't do anything to them like you can the invasive species. I think this is just for great tailed grackles, and not the others, but I'm having a hard time finding the official information now that I am looking.

Starlings, house sparrows, and pigeons (rock doves) are all invasive, and are completely free for you to do whatever you want.

But yeah seriously just get the guy to wait, and then get rid of the next before they can make anymore.


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## yopigeonguy (Oct 22, 2009)

he removed and killed them!


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## ND Cooper (Mar 4, 2008)

Study up on Starlings, as a single bird, or nest, they are really fantastic birds!
But when they group together, sometimes in the thousands (It's True), they Will really do a lot of Damage!


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## cvarnon (Mar 8, 2010)

Thats too bad.
They are pretty cool birds. Although if a bird *has* to be killed. I would rather take out one of those than a native. Starlings are doing very well, a few less won't hurt anyone.
I probably just would have taken them and made them into pets.


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

i'm disgusted that he would kill little baby starlings, what a horrible man! they are such funny little babies i have raised a ton, and i have one unreleaseable as a pet, she is the coolest, her name is spaz and she makes me laugh everyday, she's starting to talk and is so goofy.
i have to correct you matt about the grackles they are native to north america and protected under federal law, starlings and english/house sparrows are the only introduced song bird


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## JaxRacingLofts (Apr 11, 2010)

I feed the starlings that show up in my yard...I call them my "sentinels" because I watched two of them chase a low flying hawk almost 100 yards from the back of my house and then another pair of starlings joined in from another tree and I lost site of them after that. Anyway these little black birds are cool with me. I recommend everyone take the time to appreciate mother natures natural hawk chasers. If I could get crows to nest around my loft I would be on cloud 9 because a murder of crows will attack any raptor.

I just looked at what starlings are and no I have small black birds that are as big as bluejays and these guys are good protectors around my yard. I did have a nest of starlings show up on my porch and we called them the "fuglies"...and I agree with everyone else they grow up fast and the babies are gone in in like a month. That guy brought some bad Karma on himself killing those babies.


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

OMG, this is just awful. I just saw this. I have two pet starlings and they are the BEST pets I've ever had. Mine talk, they say whatcha doing, your so pretty. Crows like a rooster. SHAME ON THAT IDIOT. HOW AWFUL that he couldn't wait 2 weeks to let them leave the nest. 2 weeks. OMG, there is another website, Starlingtalk.net. There are THOUSANDS of us that have pet starlings and once you open you mind and your heart to a starling, you won't want to live without them. They are better than a parrot, they eat cat food NOT SEEDS. Check out starlingtalk.net. you will be amazed, go on YOUTUBE and see all the talking starlings. THer is sweet pea, weewoo, so many wonderful birds. How awful not to let them grow up. I don't know how anyone can kill anything. min


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

Just as a lot of people feel about boas and pythons, but introduced species cause lots of problems, look at the everglades now, the great lakes with zebra mussels, desert southwest with salt cedar, the southeast with the vines. All because people don't understand and think that things are pretty or make good pets.


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT TO TAKE BABIES AND KILL THEM. THERE IS AN OVERPOPULATION OF PEOPLE ALSO, LETS START KILLING THEM, ESPECIALLY THE ANIMAL ABUSERS. Also, I don't think starlings are going to take food out of any other animals hands, if anything they provide more food for snakes, raccoons, possums. Farmers think they eat there food for there cows, that can't be further from the truth, actually they help the farmers they eat the insects. They need animal protein, they don't eat seeds. Now I'm not saying go take a baby from a nest and have a starling for a pet, but if you see baby(s) that need help then help them. You won't regret it. Me personally, can't imagine wanting a snake for a pet, not saying they don't make good pets, but until I see a snake talk, or show some love I'm not going to have one as a pet. If people set there pet snakes free, I just don't understand it. People need to take responsiblity for there pets.


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

You obviously missed the point about invasive species. Would it seem that a rabbit or toad could cause problems? Surely not...but look at Australia with the introduction of rabbits and cane toads, it will throw the food webs and natural environment completely out of whack. Most people have their hearts in the right place, but their heads can't wrap around the problems that they are furthering. And I remembered the name of the vines, its KUDZO vines. Now, man how could plants cause any problems at all, they only add food for other species right? Wrong, search salt cedar and Kudzo vines and you may begin to get an idea of the problems that introduced species cause. One last thing, opossums DO NOT hunt, so unless they stumble upon already dead starlings they will not be eating them. Opossums are scavengers.


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## Mindy (Apr 2, 2009)

I didn't miss your point about being an invasive species. BUT, that doesn't mean people should go around killing baby birds because they are invasive species. Let them grow up. I will never understand anyone killing anything. I hope that Karma will bite them and bite them often and many times over. min


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