Starlings will thrive in garden if 4 items are left on bird feeders

Anyone who sees starlings in their garden is being urged to leave four food items out to help them thrive - as they face a threat to their survival. The famous British birds appear all over

the UK from north to south, and often form huge flocks in winter months to help them survive the cold, rather than migrate abroad. While it’s estimated that there are as many as 1.75 million

breeding pairs of starlings in Britain, their numbers are thought to be falling thanks to a reduction in food available in gardens, in particular insects, while climate change and

pesticides also harm them. Now, anyone who sees the birds in their garden is being urged to take action to help them by leaving out four key foods on bird feeders and tables.  Website

Songbird Survival said: “As starlings gather in the evenings to roost, often they will participate in what is called a murmuration — a huge flock that shape-shifts in the sky as if it were

one swirling liquid mass. The most spectacular roosts now attract crowds of human spectators: Britain’s most famous roosts include Brighton Pier, Sussex; Ham Wall in Somerset, Aberystwyth

Pier; Leighton Moss, Lancashire; Fen Drayton, Cambridgeshire. One of the biggest roosts in Europe is in the centre of Rome. “[But] it is hypothesised that reductions in insect availability

may be proving challenging for starlings and reducing their first year, and adult survival. Insect declines are thought to be caused by pesticide use, land-use change and other agricultural

practices along with climate change. More research is needed to ascertain the full picture for the reasons of the decline in starling populations.”  The experts go on to set out how you can

help, adding that keeping your old leaves in your garden instead of sweeping them up will help them, as well as extra food on bird tables. They said “Supplementary feeding on bird tables.

Provide a nest box for starlings to nest in and leave old leaves in your garden so that they can use them to build their nests.” Starlings will feed on raisins, sultanas, sunflower hearts

and peanuts. You can leave the food on a bird table - if you clean it regularly to avoid diseases spreading - or leave it scattered directly on the ground.