Starlings are one of Australia's most destructuve introduced bird species, and have been listed as one of the 100 Worlds Worst Invasive Species. Starling cause significant damage to horticultural industries estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars each year, particularly cherries, grapes, blueberries, olives, stone fruits, apples, pears and a range of vegetable crops. Starlings also damage cereal crops, and will take food from feedlots, storage areas, piggeries, poultry farms and dairies. They may carry parasites and disease, with the potential to contaminate food, food packaging, factories, and livestock areas. They also adversely impact on our environment, biodiversity, cultural areas and significant sites. They can significantly alter native bird communities and displace native wildlife such as parrots, and fauna that are dependent on tree hollows. Starlings may also present a disease risk to humans and domestic animals, such as Salmonella, Cryptococci, and Newcastle Disease.
StarlingScan has been developed to support communities and local groups to control starling and reduce their adverse impacts.
StarlingScan is a free resource.
For farmers, the public, community groups, Landcare, local councils, professional pest controllers, and
biosecurity groups. Anyone can use StarlingScan to record information about starlings. The more information you
record, the more useful StarlingScan will become for planning future starling control.
You can use StarlingScan to monitor and record Starling activity.
Including sightings and evidence of starlings, report impacts they cause, such as damage to crops and document where you have undertaken control such as trapping.
Plan coordinated control activities
StarlingScan can help you and your neighbours to decide where best to undertake control together, to achieve the
most cost-effective outcomes from control.
What to record
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Sightings and evidence of starlings - including calls
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Photographs for sightings, damage and control
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Damage or problems, such as damage to crops and native vegetation
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Control activities, such as location where control has been undertaken, e.g. trapping
The more information you record, the more useful the StarlingScan map will become for you, your neighbours, your
community, and local authorities helping people to manage starlings.