Have you ever watched a starling eat? They can gulp down peanuts whole:
When you have a large flock of them in the neighborhood (I last counted 40 birds), it doesn’t take long for them to “vacuum” every last peanut from the platform feeders.
And I’m never quick enough to capture it in a digital image, but it’s fun to watch the Red-bellied Woodpecker defending the feeders from these little piggies. He doesn’t like them encroaching on his peanut buffet, so he opens his beak wide to look scary when they try to land. Even the Mourning Doves get uptight when the starlings are around. They raise their wings to appear bigger than they are, and then they lunge like they’re going to deliver a giant peck. So much for doves of peace.
Thankfully there’s a hungry Cooper’s Hawk in the neighborhood. I’m counting on him to keep the starlings from taking over the world!