Best trap for Starlings?

[ToyinPA]

I have 3 S&K Martin houses. Right now I have 5 male & 1 female martin. Expect more as the weather warms up.

I have 2 UST for sparrows, which work pretty well. Got one 2 days ago .

My problem is now Starlings. Several pair nest in an old garage just below my property every year. Normally they leave my houses & martins alone. This year they have been stealing nesting material daily. We put up the B&B yesterday to supplement feed the martins & now the Starlings are increasing.

I'd like to know what trap is best to catch Starlings? Can't shoot them, as we live in town. Can't afford the S&S Controller. So it's the Repeating Trap or Nest-Box Trap.

How do you remove them from the "Nest-box Trap?

ToyinPA

[Sue P]

Toy, I have nest box traps for starlings and sparrows in my T14. I have caught 2 starlings and 2 sparrows in the past 4 days. I take the trap out with the bird in it, then submerge it in a 5 gallon bucket of water. It doesn't take too long. After that I remove the birds from the trap. The starlings will bite hard if you try to handle them when they are alive.

Sue P

[~Ray~Gingerich]

My favorite is the S&S controller, the price isn't bad if you get the plans and build it yourself.
There's another trap out there thats just a 10' piece of PVC with an elbow at the top fastened to a fake birdhouse front, holding cage at the bottom, not sure of the name but I think it might be called the huntington trap?

[Guest]

I agree the S&S controller is very effective and it's always ready to trap the next one so you can trap them year round. It is not unusual to trap 3 or 4 at the same time early in the spring. When they fall into the death chamber I dispatch them with my BB gun. I built it myself also.

[Louise Chambers]

Toy,

I think you'll catch more starlings in the nest-box trap. If your site has SREHs, the round-hole trap box will really look good to starlings. It can also trap bluebirds and tree swallows, so monitor often OR enlarge escape hole in access cover to 1/1/2 inches, that will release anything but starlings or woodpeckers.

That was our favorite starling trap back at PMCA, and I used it at home a lot too. It's helpful to have the trap where starlings can see early morning sun hit it, and in view of martin boxes if possible.

There is an access cover on the slide that sildes open to remove trapped birds. Use a clear plastic bag to cover it so they'll fly out, or reach in, using the bag as a glove, and grab them.

[chickadee]

If you would like to build the ss your self I have a book telling you how.its simple may cost fifty to buid it?not sure if I'm allowed to offer that?but its your if you want it.

[geezer]

The only trap I use is the Natureline Gourd fitted with the Natureline Gourd Trap hanging on a Shepherds Hook. I have 4 of them scattered around the yard in the Spring. Starlings just can't resist that big round hole.

These items are available at this website.