56 BULLETIN 868, IJ. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Experiments were made by the municipal authorities of Montclair 

 in 1916 to determine the usefulness of a sticky substance applied to 

 the branches of the trees of the roost. This had no apparent effect 

 in deterring the birds, although six or seven trees near the center of 

 the roost had their branches well smeared with it. The sticky, 

 resinous gum used was applied with small paddles, the climbers using 

 a boatswain's chair to reach the upper and outer branches. As in 

 several other cases the shotgun had to be used to bring relief. 



At Hartford, Conn., several years ago, a roost of about 5,000 star- 

 lings and grackles was established on one of the principal residential 

 streets, where it became such a nuisance that the city authorities 

 took measures to remove it. Objection to the use of a shotgun was 

 made by local bird lovers, who volunteered to drive the birds away 

 by firing Roman candles. Three nights' work, in which from 3 to 

 15 men armed with Roman candles participated, removed the roost. 



From present experiences it is apparent that neither the shotgun 

 nor the Roman candle, however, effects a lasting cure. Each one, 

 when used persistently, has served to remove roosts, but in either 

 case vigilance must be used to prevent the birds from reestablishing 

 themselves. In* a few instances, as at Hartford, Roman candles did 

 the work effectively, but at other roosts such measures have failed. 

 A shotgun loaded with black powder shells, fired on 5 or 6 consecu- 

 tive evenings, will give more certain results. Such treatment can 

 be recommended for eradicating tree roosts of starlings and grackles 

 wherever State and local laws permit. 



Starling roosts located in church towers, where they have some- 

 times become a nuisance on account of the attending filth, can be 

 abolished by the use of wire screen of a mesh of 1| inches or less. 

 This method is almost universally resorted to in places thickly popu- 

 lated with starlings. 



CONTROL MEASURES. 



Outside of the work done on roosts and the activities of caretakers 

 of a few bird preserves, few efforts toward reducing the numbers of 

 starlings have been made, but mention of some of these may be useful 

 to those desiring to control the birds where they are injurious either 

 to crops or buildings. 



One fact connected with the behavior of starlings brought out re- 

 peatedly in field work is that the birds are easily frightened by gun- 

 fire and soon become exceedingly wary. A few gunshots are usually 

 sufficient to drive them away from the vicinity of crops upon which 

 they are feeding. This is especially true when they are eating 

 cherries. 



Where starlings become objectionable about dooryards by reason 

 of the filth connected with their breeding operations, their activities 





