Does this feeder keep away Starlings?
1606644
ONLY use Sunflower seeds IN THE SHELL as Starlings have weak beaks (unlike nuthatches, woodpeckers and Cardinals and all Finches have strong beaks) so the shells make it very difficult for European Starlings to crack open. Also get Upside-Down hanging bird feeders as Starlings cannot hang upside down and feed like nuthatches, Finches and woodpeckers do so with ease. Avoid corn and millet as nuisance birds prefer it.
1606645
Starlings get into mine. They sit on the perch and scoop out the seed onto the ground where the pigeons eat it. But they usually prefer the suet feeder.
1606646
So far, the only "large" bird on this feeder is the cardinal. Starlings come to our other feeders but not to this one.
1606647
I had some grackles try to use it but eventually they gave up, especially after I chased them off a few times with a broom. I'm sure my neighbors thought I was a lunatic running across the yard waving a broom in the air, LOL! They weren't getting anything out of it but they would hunker down underneath it and chase off other birds.
1606648
The unit is weight/tension adjustable. There is a weight chart in the instructions...... adjust them out.
1767068
I have mainly starlings (one type of blackbird) in my area. I used only black sunflower seeds, and they have not taken over the feeder. It may be that the perching area is smaller (which is one of the recommendations for keeping away blackbirds. They also do not like to feed under anything, so when mine was hanging under a poch ceiling, they never came to the area. As for seeds, the sites I read suggest safflower seeds (very hard) as the one type of seed blackbirds will not eat. Not sure what other birds like it. here's one good link for more info: http://springfieldil.wbu.com/content/show/76860 Good luck! I have mainly starlings (one type of blackbird) in my area. I used only black sunflower seeds, and they have not taken over the feeder. It may be that the perching area is smaller (which is one of the recommendations for keeping away blackbirds. They also do not like to feed under anything, so when mine was hanging under a poch ceiling, they never came to the area. As for seeds, the sites I read suggest safflower seeds (very hard) as the one type of seed blackbirds will not eat. Not sure what other birds like it. here's one good link for more info:... » Read More I have mainly starlings (one type of blackbird) in my area. I used only black sunflower seeds, and they have not taken over the feeder. It may be that the perching area is smaller (which is one of the recommendations for keeping away blackbirds. They also do not like to feed under anything, so when mine was hanging under a poch ceiling, they never came to the area. As for seeds, the sites I read suggest safflower seeds (very hard) as the one type of seed blackbirds will not eat. Not sure what other birds like it. here's one good link for more info: http://springfieldil.wbu.com/content/show/76860 Good luck! « Show Less
966359
We've had the unit for quite some time and do not believe the birds can get caught in it. It is squirrel proof. We've also gotten rid of the blue jays and grackles.We are bird nuts and are delighted with the unit. Red bellied woodpeckers are shy birds and come to it, but not as often with the open mesh. All others are OK.
2226273
Oh how they try, but not at all. We have seen a decrease in the number of starlings by the feeders when we bring out this one.
576317
It keeps out grackles and starlings. But it also keeps out cardinals. Only small birds can get in.
32853
Yes this feeder prevents doves from perching on it and feeding, I cannot say about pigeons since I never get any in my yard. This is as advertised a "squirrel buster" which is why I bought it because squirrels were cleaning out my feeders almost on a daily basis. No more!!
576315
Yes. The size of the wire mesh around the feeder tube is far too small to allow grackles or anything larger than the smaller hedge birds; chickadee, wren, finch sized birds. I've had to replace the center tube as the plastic died from three years of UV exposure. Not hard to do and a $7 tube from Lowes was an almost perfect fit. I also created a coroplast cover to keep off the rain and discovered it gave some immumity to the smaller birds from a local Kestrel. Zero squirrel access.
971247
I am not sure. I have Yellow-bellied sapsuckers and Downy Woodpeckers that handle it well. But actually the Starling can manage to eat a little at a time from it.
249080
yes, small birds cling to it. I've never seen starlings or grackles near it.
1179804
We have the perch set as sensitive as possible and it is effective in keeping away grackles, starlings etc. the largest bird to successfully feed is the rose breasted grosbeak, which we were thrilled to see! However the squirrels still manage to outsmart us by hanging over the top! So we had to put this feeder on a pole with a squirrel baffle.
1478004
I recently had crows land on top of my green cage suet feeder. I finally hung it under a clear dome baffle Aspects 182 Super Dome This not only keeps off the crows, but keeps off the squirrels, sparrows and birds that don't like to hang upside down, so only woodpeckers & nutthatches eat from the cage now.
322352
Blackbirds love all the seeds. They are definably a pest just like the squirrels and I have to run them off continually. On this feeder you will have squirrel problems. The birds love the feeder but the squirrels will wrap themselvesaround the feeder and eat all the seed. I bought a squirrel proof feeder and hang both of them together which helps keep the squirrels away because I keep this feeder with a small amount of feed on the bottom and the squirrels have stop bothering the feed.
992151
We don't have very many starlings here. Had a couple of flocks migrating through and they didn't get on the feeder, just ate the seed on the ground spread by the other birds.
188405
I already had a 3 section telescoping pole from an old martin house. I used to have a small flock (6-7 birds) each year until one year a Starling got in and actually killed a male martin right inside his "apartment". After that I think the "young" ones took off and his female stayed around for a few days calling. Eventually she left too. I haven't been able to get martins for 2 yrs now. That is why I invested in THIS box hoping the "door" shape will not allow starlings in. The box went up again this year mid April but no martins yet.
939022
Yes, definitely. As a matter of fact I worried that some of the smaller songirds like cardinals and bluebirds would be too large to access the food; smaller birds do best in it. Really a good feeder though.
1683273
The only bird other than humming birds I have seen at our feeder are Western Tanangers. The bee guards seem quite effective at keeping out insects.
1965154
My experience says it won't keep anything away. The deer stroll right up and eat my fuchsias. The squirrels still dig holes in my garden and planters. As for birds, they still empty the bird feeder three feet away from the unit.