European Starlings in Pennsylvania
When Europeans are present in Pennsylvania, when they nest, which native Pennsylvania plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5a–7b yard.
- Status in Pennsylvania
- Year-round resident
- Nesting window
- April–June
- Broods
- 1–2 per season
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 5a–7b
When to expect Europeans in Pennsylvania
European Starlings live in Pennsylvania all year. Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward fruit, grain and suet.
Humid continental; cold, snowy winters in the north and mountains, milder in the southeast.
Nesting in Pennsylvania
Across Pennsylvania, 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.
Warm summers; bluebirds typically raise two broods.
- European Starlings don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as winterberry, black cherry, white oak for nest sites.
- Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after June.
Native Pennsylvania plants that attract Europeans
Of the regional native plants we track for Pennsylvania, these 8 provide food or cover Europeans use:
Winter fruit.
Summer fruit and a major caterpillar host.
Acorns and insects.
Fall seed.
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.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Feeding Europeans through the Pennsylvania year
Non-native; starlings take over woodpecker and bluebird cavities. Upside-down suet feeders deter them.
- Best foods: Suet, Cracked corn.
- In Pennsylvania's winter: Snow cover makes suet and heated water valuable; both chickadee species meet in a narrow hybrid zone across the south of the state.
Full diet breakdown for Europeans · Best feeder for Europeans
Frequently asked
Are Europeans in Pennsylvania year-round?
Yes. European Starlings are year-round residents in Pennsylvania.
When do Europeans nest in Pennsylvania?
Nesting in Pennsylvania typically runs April–June, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 4–6 eggs, incubated for 12 days.
What native plants attract Europeans in Pennsylvania?
Winterberry, Black cherry, White oak, New England aster, Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Staghorn sumac are native plants in Pennsylvania that provide food or cover for Europeans.
European Starlings in other regions
Other backyard birds in Pennsylvania
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 — Pennsylvania
- 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.