Control

Though any European Starling kill is acceptable and allowed by law (there are no Fish and Game laws that protect European Starlings), so you can use any means at your disposal to eliminate them from your area. This page is primarily dedicated to thumping European Starling breeders and you should thump them all year long.

However, we need to stay focused on what the primary target is: the females. Below is a scorecard that you can use to visualize which European Starlings are more important to take out of circulation.

European Starling Males: 2 points.
European Starling Fledgelings: 3 points.
European Starling females: 11 points!

For every European Starling female that you take out of breeding circulation, you have effectively removed 11 birds that year, as European Starling females generally lay 2 clutches each year and each clutch generally consists of 5 eggs each. Taking the female out removes 2 clutches so you have effectively scored 11 points.

Starlings are one of four local bird species not protected by the Migratory Bird Act. Others are:
Rock Doves (pigeons)
English Sparrow
Ring Neck Pheasant


All other local birds are protected by federal law.

Four shot group. 10 yards. First shot was the flyer. (Shooting the oil out )
.

Spoiler: show

This morning, threading a 14.3 grn 22 cal pellet through grass and a chain link fence at 6 yards. Lung shot

I’ll get it sighted in for at least 25 yards. Then no vermin winged or four legged will be safe !

Eurasian collared dove?

Yella bellied antifa squab?

PMB recommend this Hatsan Model 95 .22 cal air rifle. Well I finally got one last night. $160.00 at Big 5
I put about fifty rounds through it last night. Sighting it in at 10 yards.
Due to the rain I just shot it in my basement. Against a .22 cal bullet trap.
There is a break in period with these air guns. You need to shoot the oil out of them. And let me tell you that first shot was funcking loud!
I got two chicken a few months back. And the rats really enjoying their food. So that was my motivation for getting this gun. But as of this morning it has already taken care of business.
Four shot group. 10 yards. First shot was the flyer. (Shooting the oil out )
.
This morning, threading a 14.3 grn 22 cal pellet through grass and a chain link fence at 6 yards. Lung shot

I’ll get it sighted in for at least 25 yards. Then no vermin winged or four legged will be safe !

I’m not really sure what the velocity is. But I’d guess around 800. I don’t have a lot of experience with air rifles. Not an expert.
But pellet weight does affect velocity. This gun is .22 caliber and the pellets that I am currently using are 14.3 grains.
As I briefly stated above. When these guns come from the factory they have a fair amount of oil in them.
So your first few shots are as loud as a .22 Long Rifle. This is because the oil creates what they call dieselling.
The oil actually ignites just like in a Diesel engine. So the gun is very loud and inaccurate due to inconsistent muzzle velocity’s.
So a new gun needs to be shot enough to shoot out the oil. I have about 70 pellets through this and it has quieted down a lot.
So in short new guns are noisy.
Not sure what type and caliber of rifle you have. But try a heavier pellet. I’ll recommend Crosman Premier pellets.
And if its so noisy you have not shot it to break it in and shoot out the oil. You should take it somewhere and put at least fifty rounds through it. Oh I just thought of this. When the gun diesels smoke comes from the barrel after each shot. So if your rifle has smoke in the barrel after firing a shot. The gun still has lots of oil in it.

but will always maintain a zero tolerance policy for starlings. Just typing the word makes me cringe.