European Starlings in Illinois

European Starlings live in Illinois all year. Cold, windy winters in the north; the southern tip is milder and hosts more wintering species. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward fruit, grain and suet.

Humid continental, grading from the Lake Michigan shore and prairie north to the forested Shawnee Hills in the south.

Across Illinois, 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; much of the state is farmland, so backyard native plantings matter.

• 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.

Of the regional native plants we track for Illinois, these 8 provide food or cover Europeans use:

Non-native; starlings take over woodpecker and bluebird cavities. Upside-down suet feeders deter them.

• Best foods: Suet, Cracked corn.
• In Illinois's winter: Cold, windy winters in the north; the southern tip is milder and hosts more wintering species.

Full diet breakdown for Europeans · Best feeder for Europeans