Where did the starlings go?

When I lived in Crosspool 50 years ago, we saw loads of starlings in the garden. I hadn't seen on in North Wales for 20 years until a fortnight ago when about 40 landed in the field behind us. They snaffled food left out in nearby gardens but today, there's no sign of them. Has there been a massive drop in the starling population? They must have a leader who decides where to go and when.

They're in decline, lots of species are. Sparrows and kestrels are dropping in serious numbers.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/starling/population-trends-conservation/

When I was a kid I would scatter little bits of bread all over the back garden, then sit still in the porch as the lawn became swamped with Starlings, you could barely see the grass! this was late eighties early nineties.

When I was a kid I would scatter little bits of bread all over the back garden, then sit still in the porch as the lawn became swamped with Starlings, you could barely see the grass! this was late eighties early nineties.

We have had a dozen or so Starlings on our lawn this afternoon, competing with two pairs of Blackbirds and a small Rabbit. Nice to see them squabbling over the worms?. The Rabbit was a veggie, content to pick at the dandelions.

Angel1.

We have had a dozen or so Starlings on our lawn this afternoon, competing with two pairs of Blackbirds and a small Rabbit. Nice to see them squabbling over the worms?. The Rabbit was a veggie, content to pick at the dandelions.

 

Angel1.

Really?.....

Really?.....

:hihi:

Really?.....

I take it my "joke" about the veggie Rabbit went completely over your head. It highlights the difference between the City and the rural dweller. I once made a "joke" about finding a Cow's nest with half a dozen bottles of milk in it. Aye someone posted, Cow's don't have nests. Dohh.

Angel1.

Nowadays there seems to be more magpies than ever they seem to be doing well not sure why,at one time you would see lots of thrushes but I have not seen any for years maybe Maggie have eaten them

Major declines in populations have been observed from 1980 onward in Sweden, Finland, northern Russia (Karelia) and the Baltic States, and smaller declines in much of the rest of northern and central Europe. The bird has been adversely affected in these areas by intensive agriculture, and in several countries it has been red-listed due to population declines of more than 50%.

Numbers dwindled in the United Kingdom by more than 80% between 1966 and 2004; although populations in some areas such as Northern Ireland were stable or even increased, those in other areas, mainly England, declined even more sharply. The overall decline seems to be due to the low survival rate of young birds, which may be caused by changes in agricultural practices. The intensive farming methods used in northern Europe mean there is less pasture and meadow habitat available, and the supply of grassland invertebrates needed for the nestlings to thrive is correspondingly reduced.

I used to see loads of starlings around Forge Masters but when it was the shut down weeks you never saw em. Probly went to Skeggy.

................they are all in my garden!! Greedy monsters they are too. The little birds don't get a look in.

Remember in the 70's after a drive down a motorway or through a country road your windscreen would be completely covered in dead insects. Do the same drive now and you'll get barely anything. Intensive farming and the over use of pesticides have removed billions of insects from the food chain. Remove the bottom layer of a food chain and everything above suffers.