How long to keep feeders down?
With all the snow I was excited for bird feeding over the next few days. Unfortunately a flock of at least three dozen starlings have made themselves at home in my backyard and have been ravenously devouring all the food I put out (They emptied two feeders in one hour!!) and mercilessly attacking any native birds (I saw them rip feathers off of a red bellied woodpecker). I have taken the feeder down to get them to move on and I feel immense guilt for taking the food down in this kind of weather, but the native birds have barely been able to eat it with so many aggressive starlings.
Does anyone have advice for how long til keep the feeders down to get them to move on? I’m going to invest in a starling resistant feeder and starling disliked seeds when I can get out of my house. The disappointed looks from the bluebirds and blue jays tears me up inside but I need to get rid of the starlings before their screeching drives me insane.