European Starlings in Minnesota
When Europeans are present in Minnesota, when they nest, which native Minnesota plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 3a–5b yard.
- Status in Minnesota
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- May–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 3a–5b
When to expect Europeans in Minnesota
European Starlings live in Minnesota all year. Temperatures below 0°F are routine — heated water, suet and roost boxes are survival aids, not extras. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward fruit, grain and suet.
Continental, with very cold winters and warm summers; prairie in the west, boreal forest in the northeast.
Nesting in Minnesota
Across Minnesota, Europeans typically nest from May–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.
A short, intense breeding season; most nesting runs May through July.
- European Starlings don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as red-osier dogwood, serviceberry, bur oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Minnesota plants that attract Europeans
Of the regional native plants we track for Minnesota, these 8 provide food or cover Europeans use:
White fruit and red-stemmed winter cover.
Early-summer fruit.
Acorns and bark insects.
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.
Feeding Europeans through the Minnesota year
Non-native; starlings take over woodpecker and bluebird cavities. Upside-down suet feeders deter them.
- Best foods: Suet, Cracked corn.
- In Minnesota's winter: Temperatures below 0°F are routine — heated water, suet and roost boxes are survival aids, not extras.
Full diet breakdown for Europeans · Best feeder for Europeans
Frequently asked
Are Europeans in Minnesota year-round?
Yes. European Starlings are year-round residents in Minnesota.
When do Europeans nest in Minnesota?
Nesting in Minnesota typically runs May–June, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 4–6 eggs, incubated for 12 days.
What native plants attract Europeans in Minnesota?
Red-osier dogwood, Serviceberry, Bur oak, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac are native plants in Minnesota that provide food or cover for Europeans.
European Starlings in other regions
Other backyard birds in Minnesota
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 — Minnesota
- 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.