Are Starlings a Concern for a Healthy Lawn and Landscape?

Mike Goatley, Professor and Turfgrass Extension Specialist

The following was an inquiry from a homeowner in Virginia.

QUESTION (Homeowner): "From what I understand, Starlings are non-native to our Virginia. If they are technically an invasive species, could they be doing harm upon the microbes and ecological health of my lawn if they "over-graze"? I observe a flock or group of starlings foraging on my lawn almost every day, picking their way through the topsoil, consuming a fair amount of grubs and worms etc. Is there anything to be concerned about?"

ANSWER (Dr. Goatley): "A website that I very much enjoy as someone that gets a great deal of pleasure watching what birds show up at my feeders is Cornell University’s 'All About Birds'. It’s a great site for identification tips, identifying birds by their calls, and especially their live cams. Searching this site for more info on Starlings jogged my memory on something that I once knew, but had forgotten: the introduction of the European Starling into the United States actually has literary connections. A group of avid Shakespeare supporters thought it would be a good idea to release Starlings in New York City’s Central Park so that America had all the birds ever mentioned by Shakespeare in his writings. So, from an introduction of 100 birds in Central Park in the 1890s, Starling populations have now grown to well over 200 million in the 21st century across North America. And beyond this, it is pretty evident I don’t know much about Starlings and possible concerns to lawns and landscapes, but Virginia Tech does have a Wildlife Specialist that will likely have a more educated response. Dr. Jim Parkhurst is an Associate Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist in the College of Natural Resources and Environment.

Jim had the following comments about the question: "The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is, as you note, a non-native, introduced species and, unlike most all other songbirds, it has no protection here in Virginia.  In fact, in Virginia, it is classified in the Code of Virginia and in the Virginia Administrative Code as being a “Nuisance Species” — this means that there is no closed season on “take” nor are there any bag limits imposed, so long as “take” occurs via legal methods.  That said, this species has been present in the U.S. since the late-1800s and has become naturalized over nearly all of its current range.  In essence, it has become a permanent resident."

Given all that, and getting back to your main concern, does it pose a significant environmental threat? Overall, the answer is not really. That said, they can displace or interfere with several of our native species that use nest boxes, being larger and more aggressive; bluebirds, tree swallows, and purple martins frequently compete for next boxes with starlings. Beyond that, starlings are true flocking birds, so they generally prefer staying in large groups. When you see many of them foraging together on lawns, that is quite normal for them. Being generalists, they feed on whatever is available at the time and requires the least effort to acquire. The foraging you describe is quite normal and they probably are going after seeds, insects (including adult and larval forms), worms, and, when seasonally available, small fruits. Because they do feed in large numbers, they can pose problems in agriculture, especially for those who raise small fruits (e.g., blueberries, cherries, brambles) and for livestock producers — in this latter case, they raid feed bunks and can consume large quantities of grain-based forage, while also leaving behind contamination by defecating in the bunks. But as far as causing potential problems to lawns, they actually may be providing a service by reducing a number of known lawn pests, but are unlikely to decimate the existing population of worms or nightcrawlers. Our local skunks are more likely to be of greater concern in those areas than are the starlings.

Unless you are raising small fruits or managing a herd of livestock, I wouldn’t worry too much about flocks of starlings foraging on your lawn.