starling?

[Ozzy Fudd]

can you eat them? would you even want to eat them?

 

theres quite alot of these about here at the mo (about 50 of the wee ******* tried to bomb me on saturday when i walked into a barn and scared them) so we'll be hitting them hard soon, just wondering if theyre any use to eat?

[benelli montefeltro]

can you eat them? would you even want to eat them?

 

theres quite alot of these about here at the mo (about 50 of the wee ******* tried to bomb me on saturday when i walked into a barn and scared them) so we'll be hitting them hard soon, just wondering if theyre any use to eat?

ive never heard tell of it babby, but knock yourself out. they might be ok. who knows, you wont till you try them. a nice starling stew, mmmmmm

[Ozzy Fudd]

na, probly pan fried breast if anything, plenty of red wine

[night owl]

mate dont eat them we shoot them over here as they are classed as vermin . apparently they are very dirty birds and carry disease

[Ozzy Fudd]

mate dont eat them we shoot them over here as they are classed as vermin . apparently they are very dirty birds and carry disease

 

classed and shot the same over here, but didnt know they were that bad - similar to crows then? maybe give it a miss, just wondering

[SSS]

Babs, what is the worst that can happen, get one eaten and let us know how it was

[night owl]

found this go shoot them mate take plenty of shots .up to you if you want to eat them

 

Public Health Concerns

 

Although health risks from birds are often exaggerated, populations of roosting starlings may present risks of disease to people nearby. The most serious health risks are from disease organisms growing in accumulations of starling droppings, feathers, and debris under a roost.

 

Precautions need to be taken when working around concentrations of starling droppings. Contact the Department of Health for recommendations.

 

Legal Status

 

Starlings are exempt from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) of 1918, which was passed for the protection of migratory birds. Their nests, eggs, young, and/or adults may be removed or destroyed at any time. No permit is required.

 

Damage:

Starlings rank just behind pigeons and sparrows as an urban bird pest. Starlings can be a nuisance in both urban and rural areas due to their nesting, eating and living habits. Starlings are frequently considered pests because of the problems they cause, especially at livestock facilities. Starlings may selectively eat the high-protein supplements that are often added to livestock rations. Starlings may also be responsible for transferring disease from one livestock facility to another. This is of particular concern to swine producers. Starlings cause other damage by consuming cultivated fruits such as grapes, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, figs, apples, and cherries. Large roosts that occur in buildings, industrial structures, or, along with blackbird species, in trees near homes are a problem in both rural and urban sites because of health concerns, filth, noise, and odor. In addition, slippery accumulations of droppings pose safety hazards at industrial structures, and the acidity of droppings is corrosive. Gutters and drainage pipes clogged with starling nests often backup, causing extensive water damage. The bacteria, fungal agents and parasites in the feces also pose a health risk. One of the more serious health concerns is the fungal respiratory disease histoplasmosis. Starling and blackbird roosts located near airports pose an aircraft safety hazard because of the potential for birds to be ingested into jet engines, resulting in aircraft damage or loss and, at times, in human injuries

[Ozzy Fudd]

na mate i think ill keep leaving them for the foxes

[night owl]

good for you leave them for the foxs then shoot the foxs its a win win situation

Edited February 1, 2010 by night owl

[ollie]

Never knew they carried disease. I will be shooting more of them from now on.

[Highlander]

Don't you have Tesco in NI? Why on earth would you want to eat such things, filthy little beggars. Mind you NE as usual have no idea about numbers as we can't shoot them here in England (taken off the GL last year) but around our pig farms there are millions of the things.

[Wesman]

I think the French eat them, but what else is new. Those guys eat anything

[alfa taf]

We get them by the millions in winter,they are migratory birds, shoot them

 

but have never consider eating them!!

[covlocks]

I bet a naked starling is smaller than a Quail - so not even worth the effort

[Ozzy Fudd]

Don't you have Tesco in NI? Why on earth would you want to eat such things, filthy little beggars. Mind you NE as usual have no idea about numbers as we can't shoot them here in England (taken off the GL last year) but around our pig farms there are millions of the things.

 

cos apart from the 50 that rushed me we saw approx 200 or 300 others that will need dealt with, was just checking if you can eat them or not as thats alot of birds to let go to waste due to ignorance

[Evil Elvis]

The italian eat blackbirds and thrushes, cant be a lot different....other thsn the disease risk?

[Guest Callum.]

"Fry some chopped turnips and carrots. Add a little stock and a glass of red wine. Place some starlings or other small birds in the pan. Add a thin purée of boiled potatoes mashed with beaten eggs, dry mustard, and some stock and a little beer. Cover with stock and cook for about 30 minutes, adding some ripe olives near the end."

[Lampwick]

can you eat them? would you even want to eat them?

 

theres quite alot of these about here at the mo (about 50 of the wee ******* tried to bomb me on saturday when i walked into a barn and scared them) so we'll be hitting them hard soon, just wondering if theyre any use to eat?

 

I lived in Malta as a kid, not knowing better we shot everthing (except the Blue Rock Thrush, the National bird) Im censoring full details of the quarry the locals were "hunting" mad but they recently joined the EU and fortunatly the rules have been tightened up. Last time I went there I was amazed to see seagulls! rarely saw them in the 70s and if you did they were in trouble.

 

Starlings were on the menu regularly and quite tastey, (35 year old memories mind) So where blackbirds, thrushs, swifts etc. Yes it was and is wrong I was young and it was common practice.

 

As for the comments about not enough meat on them well shrimps are rather small too but get enough and your away!

 

Go give it a go!

 

Please dont have a go at me re the shooting I know it was wrong, and dont let it put you off going there its a great place.

[pyr8]

remember monty pythons life of brian,the scene in the colosium.the food vendor.larks tongues,badger spleens.makes starlings look tame.

[supadonk]

i believe their used in fly fishing, the feathers that is .

[TomV]

In a recent Sporting shooter magazine, Starlings did not appear on the general license list. Would it therefore be against the law to shoot them?

[pyr8]

you will usually find large flocks on most golf courses,they do a lot of damage if there are any leatherjackets present.they will tear the turf to pieces to get at them.

[Deerstalkerlunt]

I thought they where under license now? Due to the patterns they do when coming in too roost? Well my Grandad always tells me a story of when he was in the army alot of the spanish army were over here and they caught hundreds of them and made huge pans of stews containing starling.

[Fatcatsplat]

We were in Crete 2 years ago and one of the bar guys told us that in winter the whole island is covered in them. They are shot or netted (I have no idea!!) and then eaten.

 

I do like watching them though. Always remind me of Leicester Square at night when there used to be huge flocks flying.

[lord_seagrave]

In a recent Sporting shooter magazine, Starlings did not appear on the general license list. Would it therefore be against the law to shoot them?

 

That's true over here, however, the OP is in Northern Ireland.

 

LS.