To think the Starling population is on the rise?

[Window1]

We often have windows and doors open and I have never noticed in all the years until this year the number and noise of the starlings in the area.

Screeching and squawking until later in the evening, flitting around in a large flock.

Have they always been around or AIBU to think there happens to be some kind of disproportionate rise in starling population?

Anything I can do to discourage them? I used to hear proper birds singing but don't hear them anymore.

@SmidgenofaPigeon

Actually they have an amazing vocal range and are brilliant at mimicry. Their sounds are awesome. There’s even studies that have shown they have their own dialects that they pass on to their chicks.

I have no idea why anyone would want to discourage them.

My reasoning for discouraging them is that I think they may have scared the other birds away.

I'm sure thst there's an interesting link between sparrows and starlings. You get a sparrow dominance or starlings. I'll check it, we def have sparrow dominance at the moment but it was starlings 8 or 9 years ago...

@Tryingtryingandtrying

I'm sure thst there's an interesting link between sparrows and starlings. You get a sparrow dominance or starlings. I'll check it, we def have sparrow dominance at the moment but it was starlings 8 or 9 years ago...

Thay explains why my starlings were nevwr in big numbers here! Interesting

I think you're right. I distinctly remember a time when I was pregnant with DD in 2009. I was eating a cake in a park and a starling landed on the table to peck the crumbs. I commented to my mother that we didn't see starlings so often anymore, not like I remembered from my childhood where every other bird was either a sparrow or a starling. Mum agreed that it was the same where she lived (other side of the country).
Fast forward 12 years and there are so many more. I see lots of them on a daily basis.

There are loads of bold starlings in london- the ones in Borough market will take food from your hand.

Op, if you want to feed little birds only you can get feeders with a cage around so only little birds can get in. But don't forget the larger birds, they may not be as cute and their song less pretty but they need support too.