The European Starling, an invasive species of bird that I have seen kill baby Robins, drive off mom and dad Robins and take over the nest. They also, three years ago when we were looking the other way, built a nest (about the size of a laundry basket) in the roll-up barn door cowling. It was so large that it was finally sucked into the rolling up and down of the door. It jammed the door fast, half open and cocked somewhat sideways. We eventually had the original installers back out to fix it and get it going again.
So every Spring since when the birds of all types begin nesting these Starlings have attempted to rebuild in that barn door cowling and the sheet metal weather box that protects the electric motor and chain drives. Admittedly these are attractive places for structure dwelling birds to build nests and hatch their young.
The short hunts between the house and the barn have been fun, but most of the time, they are inconvenient in the first place, (This location can be seen from the kitchen window), I see them from the window, they see me coming and fly away and laugh at me, staying just out of shotgun range. Fun turns to frustration and daily in the spring I climb the ladder and remove their daily nest building efforts. They have been persistent and can wait me out any day of the week (I have other things to do). My most "successful" hunts have been from blinds within range. Shots are very limited as to what is a safe shot to take.
Well I hit on the idea to place rat and mouse traps in the weather box, maybe I could kill a few that way (at least scare them away) as they drag in their small brush piles into the door machinery to cause breakage, a jam or a fire at a later date.... Since I have other things to do with my time than to stalk and kill these dirty Starlings. These birds are so nasty that hungry cats will not even eat them, even when butchered for them. So a day or two ago, as I would clean out the box I would set the traps.
Well yesterday evening and today, I have not seen one of the dozen plus Starlings that have lived here for at least three years (they mostly live in the Maple trees next to the barn). The last few days I have been re-setting the sprung traps (no dead birds, rats!) and the clean outs have been much –much less volumes of nesting trash.
So my preliminary conclusion (dare I say, hope?) is that the traps have driven my hated dirty birds to less dangerous nesting areas. I hope so, I enjoy a bit of wing shooting (I would enjoy it more if I were better at it though) now and then, but the traps can be on watch for much longer stents of time while I get busy with other things that need my ever divided attentions....