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#1
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Starling Vandalism
We planted out a load of Zinnia Profusion (from T&M) on Saturday; by
this morning there was only one still left in. All the others had been up-rooted by a starling that is nesting in one of our eave corners. The bird isn't eating the plants, just uprooting them and leaving them lying -roots exposed- on the border. We also planted out various other bedding types, such as begonias, busy lizzies etc, but the bird only seems interested in vandalising the zinnias. Most of the zinnias are now ruined and I suppose we'll just have to get something else to replace them; there's really no other solution. Perhaps I should be posting this query on a bird group, but I was wondering whether starlings are known for uprooting zinnias, what is their motive for doing so, and why should they single that particular plant out for attention? (And, if they are well known for such activity, can anyone tell me if there are any other types of plant they vandalise, so I can avoid them when choosing the replacements please?) Cheers, Robin McInnes Cheshire, UK |
#2
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Starling Vandalism
Robin McInnes wrote: (And, if they are well known for such activity, can anyone tell me if there are any other types of plant they vandalise, so I can avoid them when choosing the replacements please?) Cheers, Robin McInnes Cheshire, UK Ummmm...I wonder if there is such a thing as typical teenage behaviour in the starling world? Starlings are very cheeky. Don't know about plant vandalism as haven't come across it before but I have seen them sit low in a tree and purposely annoy the dogs and cats of our family, teasing them mercilously :-)))) Gail also in Cheshire |
#3
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Starling Vandalism
Robin McInnes wrote: We planted out a load of Zinnia Profusion (from T&M) on Saturday; by this morning there was only one still left in. All the others had been up-rooted by a starling that is nesting in one of our eave corners. The bird isn't eating the plants, just uprooting them and leaving them lying -roots exposed- on the border. We also planted out various other bedding types, such as begonias, busy lizzies etc, but the bird only seems interested in vandalising the zinnias. Most of the zinnias are now ruined and I suppose we'll just have to get something else to replace them; there's really no other solution. Perhaps I should be posting this query on a bird group, but I was wondering whether starlings are known for uprooting zinnias, what is their motive for doing so, and why should they single that particular plant out for attention? (And, if they are well known for such activity, can anyone tell me if there are any other types of plant they vandalise, so I can avoid them when choosing the replacements please?) Cheers, Robin McInnes Cheshire, UK What I have noticed in my garden is that blackbirds and starlings lift clumps of the grass clippings I use to mulch my flowerbeds, I presume to get at some juicy worm underneath. They are also the first two birds to come to any patch in the veg garden which has been freshly dug or turned, again apparently for the same reason. Could it simply be that your zinnias were more easily lifted than anything else? Cat(h) |
#4
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Starling Vandalism
Could be that the starling is making an attempt to take the young plants to
the nest to freshen it up. I too have starlings nesting in the corner ridge tile area of the house and saw one of them swoop down and nick (at least)one of the young pansy plants I had planted a couple of days previous. Went outside and it flew onto the garage roof still with plant in its beak ! I have now placed wire netting on top of the remaining plants. M "Robin McInnes" wrote in message ... We planted out a load of Zinnia Profusion (from T&M) on Saturday; by this morning there was only one still left in. All the others had been up-rooted by a starling that is nesting in one of our eave corners. The bird isn't eating the plants, just uprooting them and leaving them lying -roots exposed- on the border. We also planted out various other bedding types, such as begonias, busy lizzies etc, but the bird only seems interested in vandalising the zinnias. Most of the zinnias are now ruined and I suppose we'll just have to get something else to replace them; there's really no other solution. Perhaps I should be posting this query on a bird group, but I was wondering whether starlings are known for uprooting zinnias, what is their motive for doing so, and why should they single that particular plant out for attention? (And, if they are well known for such activity, can anyone tell me if there are any other types of plant they vandalise, so I can avoid them when choosing the replacements please?) Cheers, Robin McInnes Cheshire, UK |
#5
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Starling Vandalism
Robin McInnes writes
We planted out a load of Zinnia Profusion (from T&M) on Saturday; by this morning there was only one still left in. All the others had been up-rooted by a starling that is nesting in one of our eave corners. The bird isn't eating the plants, just uprooting them and leaving them lying -roots exposed- on the border. We also planted out various other bedding types, such as begonias, busy lizzies etc, but the bird only seems interested in vandalising the zinnias. Most of the zinnias are now ruined and I suppose we'll just have to get something else to replace them; there's really no other solution. Perhaps I should be posting this query on a bird group, but I was wondering whether starlings are known for uprooting zinnias, what is their motive for doing so, and why should they single that particular plant out for attention? (And, if they are well known for such activity, can anyone tell me if there are any other types of plant they vandalise, so I can avoid them when choosing the replacements please?) I haven't seen starlings doing this, only blackbirds - in my case it's onion sets where the dead bit of onion leaf breaks the surface. I had assumed it was mistaking it for a worm, but, thinking about it, it's more likely to be looking for nesting material. I've also had birds take young leafless bonsai out of their pots. -- Kay |
#6
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Starling Vandalism
"Robin McInnes" wrote in message ... We planted out a load of Zinnia Profusion (from T&M) on Saturday; by this morning there was only one still left in. All the others had been up-rooted by a starling that is nesting in one of our eave corners. The bird isn't eating the plants, just uprooting them and leaving them lying -roots exposed- on the border. We also planted out various other bedding types, such as begonias, busy lizzies etc, but the bird only seems interested in vandalising the zinnias. Most of the zinnias are now ruined and I suppose we'll just have to get something else to replace them; there's really no other solution. Perhaps I should be posting this query on a bird group, but I was wondering whether starlings are known for uprooting zinnias, what is their motive for doing so, and why should they single that particular plant out for attention? (And, if they are well known for such activity, can anyone tell me if there are any other types of plant they vandalise, so I can avoid them when choosing the replacements please?) Cheers, Robin McInnes Cheshire, UK Starlings, (like humans) are driven to eat and nest and (unlike humans) rarely indulge in acts of wanton vandalism. They're probably after insects. Incidentally, they're on the RSPB Red List. Worth a look: http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/s/starling/index.asp Cheers xiv |
#7
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Starling Vandalism
"Robin McInnes" wrote in message ... We planted out a load of Zinnia Profusion (from T&M) on Saturday; by this morning there was only one still left in. All the others had been up-rooted by a starling that is nesting in one of our eave corners. The bird isn't eating the plants, just uprooting them and leaving them lying -roots exposed- on the border. We also planted out various other bedding types, such as begonias, busy lizzies etc, but the bird only seems interested in vandalising the zinnias. Most of the zinnias are now ruined and I suppose we'll just have to get something else to replace them; there's really no other solution. Perhaps I should be posting this query on a bird group, but I was wondering whether starlings are known for uprooting zinnias, what is their motive for doing so, and why should they single that particular plant out for attention? (And, if they are well known for such activity, can anyone tell me if there are any other types of plant they vandalise, so I can avoid them when choosing the replacements please?) Cheers, Robin McInnes Cheshire, UK P.S. Maybe Zinnia attract certain grubs? Lord knows. It would be interesting to know. Or maybe, after all, they just don't like the look of them? |
#8
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Starling Vandalism
M wrote:
Could be that the starling is making an attempt to take the young plants to the nest to freshen it up. I too have starlings nesting in the corner ridge tile area of the house and saw one of them swoop down and nick (at least)one of the young pansy plants I had planted a couple of days previous. Went outside and it flew onto the garage roof still with plant in its beak ! I have now placed wire netting on top of the remaining plants. M Yes, we thought about the 'nest material' theory but, as I say, the bird is not taking the plants away; it just uproots them and leaves them lying on the ground to die. Another theory we've considered is that the bird is simply 'clearing' that particular border for some odd reason, perhaps to do with courtship behaviour or something. Last year we planted some windflowers in the same border, and they suffered some minor starling damage too. Wire netting will definitely be part of next year's planting procedure here, but sadly it's too late for our zinnias this year. Cheers, Robin Cheshire, UK |
#9
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Starling Vandalism
Cat(h) wrote:
What I have noticed in my garden is that blackbirds and starlings lift clumps of the grass clippings I use to mulch my flowerbeds, I presume to get at some juicy worm underneath. They are also the first two birds to come to any patch in the veg garden which has been freshly dug or turned, again apparently for the same reason. Could it simply be that your zinnias were more easily lifted than anything else? Cat(h) Yes, blackbirds do have a tendency to look for worms very 'energetically'. Very often I find clumps of compost have been thrown feet away from the border they were originally on. I had blamed our dog at first, until I caught a blackbird in the act. But I don't begrudge them that, and it's fairly easy to put the clumps back. This starling problem, on the other hand, seems to have been mindless damage for damage's sake. The zinnias were planted no less firmly than the other stuff we put out at the same time so, while they may have been easy to lift, they were no more easy to lift than the rest. A mystery... Cheers, Robin Cheshire, UK -Si non confectus, non reficiat- |
#10
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Starling Vandalism
louisxiv wrote:
P.S. Maybe Zinnia attract certain grubs? Lord knows. It would be interesting to know. Or maybe, after all, they just don't like the look of them? I don't suppose there's any research been done on what colour spectrum Starlings vision operates in? I'm wondering whether, if it is different to ours, there may be something about the IR or UV appearance of zinnias that makes them conspicuously alarming to them or something...? I mean, they just look green to us, but... Cheers, Robin Cheshire, UK |
#11
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Starling Vandalism
Robin McInnes writes
M wrote: Could be that the starling is making an attempt to take the young plants to the nest to freshen it up. I too have starlings nesting in the corner ridge tile area of the house and saw one of them swoop down and nick (at least)one of the young pansy plants I had planted a couple of days previous. Went outside and it flew onto the garage roof still with plant in its beak ! I have now placed wire netting on top of the remaining plants. M Yes, we thought about the 'nest material' theory but, as I say, the bird is not taking the plants away; it just uproots them and leaves them lying on the ground to die. Possibly tugs what he thinks is nesting material, finds with the ball of soil on the end that it's more than he bargained for, and jettisons it. -- Kay |
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