I learned of a blueberry grower up in BC (Abbotsford) who purchased 12 Peregrine JacKites, and recently put them up in his fields. I thought I should call so as learn what was happening since their deployment up there.
Their feedback: "Well we don't know what's going on, but the Starlings just keep flying overhead not landing." "We can't say it's one thing or the other, but we pray, regularly monitor the field, JacKites are working, and we shoot a screamer from time-to-time."
"We hear from other nearby growers saying 'the starlings are more numerous than last year'. But we find they are leaving us alone."
I shared what we were experiencing in my area and field - namely almost no Starlings in the field (6 counted to-date by me), a consistent presence of 10-15 robins, with added finches. The grower commented that what "song birds take is nothing compared to Starlings...and not to fret over this minimal loss."
Use this as FYI.
CS
REMEMBER: The villain is the Starling. It is not the grower.
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A differentiation on predation types among these pests are that songbirds contribute to crop loss as a result of fruit drop, feces, and pecking, while starlings are consumers of the fruit.
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