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European Starling — species photo
Daniel Brady · NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664

How to Get Rid of European Starlings

Doable with care
European starlings are non-native and explicitly not protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, so sealing cavities, removing nests, and installing deterrents are all legal DIY steps. Screen vents, gable ends, and soffit gaps with metal mesh (starlings are bigger than sparrows, so use sturdier screening), cap chimneys, and net off structural bays like loading docks or rafters. Remove nests before eggs are laid to disrupt breeding, since starlings aggressively reclaim any unsealed cavity. Visual and audio scare devices give only short-term results due to habituation. There's no legal DIY chemical option; a large communal roost of hundreds of birds is a job for a licensed professional.

At a glance

  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Time: A weekend to inspect and seal; longer for a large roost
  • Cost: Low to moderate — mesh, netting, sealant
  • Success: Good for a single nesting pair with thorough sealing; harder against a large communal roost
The honest answer

Can you DIY European Starling?

The verdict on European Starling DIY

Doable with careIntermediate

Legal, doable exclusion — starlings are non-native and MBTA-unprotected.

The European starling is a non-native, introduced species and is confirmed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's official list as NOT protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act — legally distinct from a native songbird. That makes exclusion, nest removal, and deterrence legitimate DIY moves. The real difficulty is behavioral: starlings are larger and more aggressive cavity-competitors than house sparrows, and a communal roost can number in the hundreds, overwhelming a homeowner-scale response.

The playbook

The 5 DIY methods — honestly graded

Every approach graded for this species, in IPM order — prevention first, chemistry late. Pick a method to see how it works, the steps, and what it actually takes.

Prevention / Exclusion

Works well

The durable fix — works when cavities are sealed with mesh sturdy enough for a larger, more aggressive bird than a sparrow.

Starlings exploit cavities, vents, and soffits, aggressively out-competing other cavity-nesters for any opening. Sealing those openings with metal mesh removes the nest sites before starlings can claim them.

Best for: Stopping cavity nesting on a single-family home or small outbuilding

  1. Screen every opening with metal mesh

    Cover vents and openings with hardware cloth sturdy enough to resist a starling (they're larger and stronger than house sparrows). Cap chimneys.

    Tip
    Do this before spring nesting begins — starlings are early, aggressive cavity-claimers.

  2. Close soffit, fascia, and structural gaps

    Seal soffit and fascia gaps with exterior sealant and net off larger structural bays (loading docks, canopies, open rafters) with netting.

Tools & materials

Metal hardware clothExterior sealantNettingChimney capLadder
Before you start
Starlings are aggressive cavity-competitors — flimsy screening or an incomplete seal gets reclaimed fast.
Reality check

Why DIY falls short here

Not scare tactics — the specific, proportionate reasons a home attempt can stall for this species.

Aggressive cavity re-use

Starlings out-compete other birds and quickly reclaim any cavity left unsealed, so partial exclusion doesn't hold.

Large communal roosts

Roosts of hundreds of birds overwhelm homeowner-scale deterrents like spikes, netting, or scare devices.

Droppings volume

Heavy fouling under a large roost creates a sanitation problem better handled with professional-scale exclusion and cleanup.

Straight talk

How risky is it, really?

An honest read — most nuisance species are genuinely low risk, and we say so.

Low risk

European starlings are primarily a nuisance, agricultural, and sanitation species. Casual proximity carries little health risk — the real cost is property fouling and displacement of native birds, not disease from casual contact.

  • Droppings accumulation under roostsCommon

    A sanitation and property-fouling issue in large roosts; histoplasmosis is a proportionate risk only when large accumulations are disturbed during cleanup, not from casual contact

    CDC

  • Displacement of native cavity-nesting birdsCommon

    An ecological cost from aggressive competition for nest sites, not a human-health risk

    USFWS

  • Nest ectoparasitesOccasional

    Mites/insects in nesting material; a nuisance during nest removal, not a disease vector for humans in typical exposure

    Extension entomology

When to call a pro

Large Starling Roost? Get It Handled Right.

Hundreds of birds and heavy droppings accumulation are beyond a homeowner-scale fix. Anchor Pest Services handles full exclusion and cleanup across southern and central New Hampshire. Family-owned since 2017, NH license #782664.

Call a pro when…

  • A large communal roost (dozens to hundreds of birds)
  • Recurring nesting despite your own sealing efforts
  • Heavy droppings buildup requiring careful, protected cleanup

General Pest Control

A single nesting pair or small colony is a reasonable DIY project. Call a pro once you're dealing with a large communal roost, recurring re-colonization after sealing, or heavy droppings accumulation that needs careful cleanup.

Get a Free inspection(603) 785-0118

Keep them out

  • Screen vents and openings with mesh sturdy enough for a larger bird
  • Seal before spring nesting season begins
  • Remove food attractants (spilled grain, open trash) near roost sites
New Hampshire context

European starlings in New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, European starlings nest in cavities from early spring and can form large post-breeding communal roosts by late summer into fall, especially near agricultural areas and dense tree stands. Sealing likely nest cavities before spring, and addressing roost sites before they grow into fall, keeps the problem from scaling up.

Peak season

Spring nesting; large communal roosts common late summer into fall

Before you treat

Make sure it's a European Starling

Two quick detours worth taking — confirm the ID, then learn what drew it in so it doesn't come back.

Not sure it's this?

Identify European Starling in the Pest Library

Why is it here?

What actually attracts European Starling

Common questions

Frequently asked

Sources & further reading(3)
  1. [1]
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Service Publishes Final List of Non-Native Bird Species

    European starling's non-native, MBTA-unprotected status

    govverified 2026-07-13
  2. [2]
    Federal Register — List of Bird Species to Which the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Does Not Apply

    Official MBTA-exempt species list

    govverified 2026-07-13
  3. [3]
    CDC — Histoplasmosis Prevention

    Proportionate, cleanup-context histoplasmosis risk

    govverified 2026-07-13

Written & reviewed by

Verified

Daniel Brady

NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664 (NHDAMF, RSA 430)

Daniel Brady is the New Hampshire–licensed applicator behind Anchor Pest Services, a family-owned pest control company serving the Manchester area since 2017.

Verify license

Last updated July 2026

More in Wildlife & Birds

Other species you can tackle

Same category — the dot shows each one's DIY verdict at a glance (green = friendly, amber = doable with care, red = call a pro).

Professional Pest Control

Large Starling Roost? Get It Handled Right.

Hundreds of birds and heavy droppings accumulation are beyond a homeowner-scale fix. Anchor Pest Services handles full exclusion and cleanup across southern and central New Hampshire. Family-owned since 2017, NH license #782664.

Get a Free inspection(603) 785-0118
  • Legal, humane exclusion methods
  • NH-licensed technicians (#782664)
  • Free inspection — same-day service across southern NH

NH License #782664 · No obligation · We answer in person

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