European Starlings in Louisiana
When Europeans are present in Louisiana, when they nest, which native Louisiana plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 8a–10a yard.
- Status in Louisiana
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- March–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 8a–10a
When to expect Europeans in Louisiana
European Starlings live in Louisiana all year. Mild winters make Louisiana a major wintering ground for sparrows, wrens, and even western hummingbirds. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward fruit, grain and suet.
Humid subtropical, with coastal marsh, bottomland hardwood forest and piney uplands in the north.
Nesting in Louisiana
Across Louisiana, Europeans typically nest from March–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.
Very hot, humid summers and hurricane season June–November.
- 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 Louisiana plants that attract Europeans
Of the regional native plants we track for Louisiana, 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.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Feeding Europeans through the Louisiana year
Non-native; starlings take over woodpecker and bluebird cavities. Upside-down suet feeders deter them.
- Best foods: Suet, Cracked corn.
- In Louisiana's winter: Mild winters make Louisiana a major wintering ground for sparrows, wrens, and even western hummingbirds.
Full diet breakdown for Europeans · Best feeder for Europeans
Frequently asked
Are Europeans in Louisiana year-round?
Yes. European Starlings are year-round residents in Louisiana.
When do Europeans nest in Louisiana?
Nesting in Louisiana typically runs March–June, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 4–6 eggs, incubated for 12 days.
What native plants attract Europeans in Louisiana?
Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry are native plants in Louisiana that provide food or cover for Europeans.
European Starlings in other regions
Other backyard birds in Louisiana
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 — Louisiana
- 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.