Wildlife

Starling Welfare and Murmurations

European starling populations have declined dramatically. These highly social birds form spectacular murmurations and face threats from agricultural intensification.

Key Facts

UK starling populations fell by over 80% between 1967 and 2014
Starlings are listed as Red species of conservation concern in the UK
A single murmuration can contain millions of birds
Starlings are highly intelligent and mimic sounds including human speech
They forage in groups using a behavior called 'groundhog probing'

Welfare Considerations

Starlings are highly social and cognitively complex birds. Loss of rough grassland reduces invertebrate food supplies, causing starvation among chicks. Nest site competition with other species and loss of nest holes in old buildings affect breeding success. Their complex social behaviour means isolation causes significant stress.

What You Can Do

Provide nest boxes suitable for starlings
Allow areas of rough, uncut grass in gardens
Avoid pesticides that reduce invertebrate food sources
Support agri-environment schemes that benefit starlings
Count starlings for citizen science projects like RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch