European Starlings in Delaware
When Europeans are present in Delaware, when they nest, which native Delaware plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–8a yard.
- Status in Delaware
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 7a–8a
When to expect Europeans in Delaware
European Starlings live in Delaware all year. Mild winters with modest snow; coastal marshes draw huge numbers of wintering sparrows and blackbirds. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward fruit, grain and suet.
Humid subtropical to temperate coastal plain between Delaware Bay and the Atlantic.
Nesting in Delaware
Across Delaware, Europeans typically nest from April–June. Nest site: cavities of any kind. Females lay 4–6 eggs, incubate for 12 days, and young leave the nest after 21–23 days.
Hot, humid summers; bay-shore woodlots are important migrant stopovers in May.
- European Starlings don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as flowering dogwood, eastern red cedar, serviceberry for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Delaware plants that attract Europeans
Of the regional native plants we track for Delaware, these 8 provide food or cover Europeans use:
Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding Europeans through the Delaware year
Non-native; starlings take over woodpecker and bluebird cavities. Upside-down suet feeders deter them.
- Best foods: Suet, Cracked corn.
- In Delaware's winter: Mild winters with modest snow; coastal marshes draw huge numbers of wintering sparrows and blackbirds.
Full diet breakdown for Europeans · Best feeder for Europeans
Frequently asked
Are Europeans in Delaware year-round?
Yes. European Starlings are year-round residents in Delaware.
When do Europeans nest in Delaware?
Nesting in Delaware typically runs April–June, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 4–6 eggs, incubated for 12 days.
What native plants attract Europeans in Delaware?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Black cherry are native plants in Delaware that provide food or cover for Europeans.
European Starlings in other regions
Other backyard birds in Delaware
Sources
- European Starling — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- European Starling life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- European Starling — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Delaware
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.