StarlingScan provides:
- A website on Starlings (or common starlings) containing useful information about the species, their impacts, control techniques and where to go for assistance.
- A mapping tool to help you map Starlings, the damage (or problems) they cause, and areas where control is being undertaken in your area (eg. netting of fruit trees).
- A database of Australia-wide records showing trends in Starling data, problems, and locations where communities are coming together to control Starling numbers.
Whether you are a fruit grower, community group, landholder, landcare group or local council, StarlingScan can help you map Starlings in your area, connect you with others and help you access information and resources to manage Starlings and the problems they cause. By entering data about Starlings, you will be able to produce a Starling map for your area, and help build information about Starlings in your region.
Map Starlings in your local area to help with control
You can help by recording sightings of Starlings, recording the damage/problems caused by Starlings, and recording what control techniques are being used in your area. This could include incidental sightings (one-off), or more regular data gathered over time. Information recorded in StarlingScan can be used to help coordinate local control activities, with the aim of reducing the problems they cause in your local area, and preventing them from spreading further. In some circumstances, it might even be possible to eradicate Starlings from an area with sustained control effort. You can use StarlingScan to create and print a map of your area. Importantly, this website can be used to help coordinate on-ground control or actions to prevent Starling problems (eg. fruit damage) in your area.
Prevent Starling problems by participating in group control programs
By participating in a collaborative control program, you can help your community to reduce Starling numbers and the damage they cause across your region. By doing so, you will also be helping to protect native wildlife (particularly birds) as Starlings often out-compete native birds for nesting hollows in trees. Mapping where Starlings occur and the damage they cause, are essential pieces of information for Starling control.