Starlings are omnivores that thrive on a protein-heavy diet, with about 73% of their natural food coming from insects and other animal sources. Whether you’re feeding starlings at a backyard feeder, supplementing their diet during harsh weather, or caring for a rescued baby, the key is providing enough protein. A diet too heavy in grain or bread won’t sustain them.
What Starlings Eat in the Wild
Starlings are ground feeders built for pulling insects out of soil. They use a technique called “gaping,” where they plunge their bill into the ground, then open it to expose hidden larvae. They do this up to three times per minute while walking slowly across lawns and pastures. Their primary targets are leatherjackets, the grey, legless larvae of crane flies that live just below the surface. In some studied habitats, leatherjackets made up around 90% of the prey starlings collected for their young by weight.
Beyond larvae, wild starlings eat beetles, caterpillars, earthworms, spiders, and snails. During spring and summer (March through October), animal matter makes up more than 85% of their diet, peaking at 97% in April when insects are abundant and breeding season demands extra protein. In late autumn and winter, they shift toward fruit and seeds. November sees the lowest insect consumption at around 44%, with berries like hackberry and other soft fruits filling the gap. Plant material overall accounts for about 27% of their yearly diet.
Best Foods for Backyard Starlings
Starlings can’t easily crack open hard seed shells, so standard sunflower seeds in the hull aren’t their first choice. Instead, offer foods that match their natural high-protein diet:
- Suet and fat balls: High in energy and easy for starlings to eat, especially valuable in winter when insects are scarce.
- Mealworms: Dried or live mealworms are excellent. Starlings digest high-protein foods like mealworms far more efficiently than grain, absorbing 73% to 93% of the energy from them compared to only about 40% from lower-protein feeds.
- Sunflower hearts: With the hull already removed, these are accessible to starlings and provide good fat content.
- Softbill mixes: Commercial blends designed for insect-eating birds typically contain dried insects, berries, and small seeds.
- Wet cat or dog food: A surprisingly effective option. Pet food designed with chicken as the primary ingredient provides the protein and fat levels starlings need. Put out a small amount at a time so it doesn’t spoil.
- Fruit: Bruised apples, pears, grapes, and soft berries placed on the ground or a platform feeder. Starlings naturally increase fruit consumption in autumn and winter.
Starlings struggle with whole corn and other low-protein grains. Research from the University of Nebraska found that starlings couldn’t maintain body weight on cracked corn alone, which contains only about 14% crude protein. They need foods closer to 20% protein or higher to stay healthy.
Kitchen Scraps That Work
Several common leftovers make good starling food. Mild grated cheddar or other hard cheese provides protein and fat in easy-to-eat bites, though soft cheeses like brie should be avoided. Cooked eggs are nutrient-rich, and crushed eggshells add calcium that’s especially useful during nesting season. Cooked plain rice or pasta (rinsed of any oil or salt, cut small) offers carbohydrates. Unsweetened cereal soaked in water, meat fat trimmings, and baked potato are all fine in moderation.
Stale bread, cake, or cookies can be offered in small quantities if crumbled and soaked in water first, but these are low-nutrition fillers. They shouldn’t make up a significant portion of what you put out. Think of scraps as supplements to higher-quality protein sources, not the main meal.
How to Feed a Rescued Baby Starling
Baby starlings need solid food, not liquid. This catches many rescuers off guard. Parrot hand-feeding formulas are not appropriate for starlings. They’re omnivores with very different nutritional needs, requiring roughly 33% protein and 12% fat in their diet.
The most widely recommended emergency formula uses soaked cat food as a base. Choose a brand where chicken is the first ingredient and the protein and fat percentages come close to those targets. Mix one cup of soaked cat food with a quarter cup of applesauce, one hard-boiled egg, avian vitamins, and about 750 mg of calcium (a smooth-dissolve antacid tablet ground to powder and dissolved in water works). Mash everything into a soft, consistent texture you can offer on the tip of a small utensil.
Feeding frequency depends on the bird’s age. Featherless nestlings need food every 30 minutes across a 12-hour day. Once pin feathers start developing, you can stretch intervals to every 45 minutes, and if the bird shows disinterest at a feeding, it can occasionally go one to two hours between meals. As the bird grows and feathers fill in, feeding frequency gradually decreases.
One important caution: do not feed earthworms or other wild-caught worms to baby starlings. Worms can carry parasites that are potentially fatal to young birds with undeveloped immune systems. Stick with the cat food formula and commercially raised insects if you want to add variety.
Seasonal Feeding Tips
Your feeding strategy should shift with the calendar, mirroring what starlings naturally seek out. In spring and summer, protein matters most. Breeding adults are hunting insects almost exclusively, and they’re feeding their chicks the same. Mealworms, suet, and pet food are your best offerings during these months.
From November through January, starlings rely much more heavily on fruit and whatever high-energy food they can find. This is when platform feeders stocked with chopped fruit, suet blocks, and fat scraps make the biggest difference. Ground feeding stations work well since starlings naturally forage on the ground rather than clinging to hanging feeders. A simple tray on the ground or a low platform gives them easy access and mimics their natural foraging posture.