--- title: "How to Keep Starlings and Grackles Off Feeders" url: https://thebirdfeederguide.com/keep-starlings-and-grackles-off-feeders/ type: post date: 2026-10-13 modified: 2026-10-16 markdown_url: https://thebirdfeederguide.com/keep-starlings-and-grackles-off-feeders.md author: "The Bird Feeder Guide Editorial Team" --- # How to Keep Starlings and Grackles Off Feeders Independent, research-based buying guides for backyard birders Reader-supported · we earn from qualifying Amazon purchases [Affiliate Disclosure](/about/) [How We Research](/about/) [![](https://thebirdfeederguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/tbfg-logo-header-1200w.png)](/) [Smart Feeders](/smart-bird-feeders/) [Feeder Types](/best-tube-bird-feeders/) [Bird Food](/) [Squirrel-Proofing](/best-squirrel-proof-bird-feeders/) [Hummingbirds](/) [Attract Birds](/) [Deals](/) Home › Care & Problems › Starlings and Grackles Care & Problems · How-to Care & Problems · How-to Guide # How to Keep Starlings and Grackles Off Feeders Flocks of starlings and grackles can empty a feeder in minutes and crowd out smaller birds. The fix is mostly choosing feeders and food that suit small birds. This guide uses Project FeederWatch's feeder advice, plus a few products that fit it. By The Bird Feeder Guide Editorial Team · Research-based; we have not tested these products ourselves Updated October 2026 **Disclosure:** As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links below go to Amazon; we do not show prices because they change. ![European starling perched on a leafy branch](https://thebirdfeederguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/European-starling-iuliu-illes-Unsplash.jpg) Quick Answer Switch to feeders that big flocks cannot use: a suet cage open only at the bottom, tube feeders with short perches and small hoppers. Project FeederWatch says each of these tends to favor smaller birds and keep grackles and other large species from monopolizing the food. No single change is guaranteed. If a flock persists, combine the methods below or pause feeding briefly so the flock moves on. ## Four ways to keep starlings and grackles away Start with the first two, which come straight from FeederWatch's feeder guidance. ### 1. Use bottom-access suet cages FeederWatch says suet cages accessible only at the bottom tend to be starling-resistant, while woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees can still feed by clinging upside down. ### 2. Choose small hoppers and short-perch tubes Small hoppers prevent larger species such as grackles from comfortably perching and monopolizing the feeder. Tubes with short perches accommodate finches but exclude larger birds such as grackles and jays. ### 3. Offer seed that flocks pass over Cheap mixed seed often contains filler that starlings eat readily. Many feeder experts suggest safflower or nyjer instead, which small songbirds eat but big flocks tend to ignore. Results vary by region. ### 4. Cut back spilled seed and open trays Platform feeders and spilled seed feed ground-feeding flocks. Use a seed catcher or hulled seed to limit mess, and consider pausing feeding for a few days if a flock has taken over. ## Products that fit these methods Specs come from each Amazon listing. Product claims about starlings are the manufacturers' own, not independent test results. Bottom-access suet ### Birds Choice Upside Down Suet Feeder A recycled-plastic feeder that the listing calls starling-proof. It holds one suet cake and lets birds feed from below, so woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees can cling upside down. [View on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012SCNBI?tag=tbfg-20) Inverted cedar suet ### Nature's Way Cedar Inverted Suet Feeder A cedar cage with a hinged roof that holds one standard suet cake. The listing says it encourages upside-down feeding and makes it harder for larger nuisance species to reach the suet. [View on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GMTX4P39?tag=tbfg-20) Caged tube feeder ### Kingsyard Caged Tube Feeder A metal-caged tube with a 1.5-inch by 1.5-inch mesh meant for goldfinches, chickadees and house finches. The listing says the cage makes it harder for squirrels, pigeons and starlings to feed. [View on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2KFQW86?tag=tbfg-20) Seed choice ### Wagner's Safflower Seed A single-ingredient safflower seed. It is the seed most often suggested for cardinals and chickadees, and one that many feeders find starlings and grackles tend to skip. [View on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDNW9V5D?tag=tbfg-20) ## Starling and grackle questions Do upside-down suet feeders really stop starlings? Project FeederWatch says bottom-access cages tend to be starling-resistant. Some birders report that determined starlings still learn to use them, so treat this as a strong tendency, not a guarantee. Why are grackles on my feeder? Large hoppers and long-perch feeders let grackles feed comfortably. FeederWatch suggests a smaller hopper to discourage them. Should I stop feeding for a while? Pausing for several days can encourage a flock to move on, though starlings often return to productive spots. Combine it with the feeder changes above. ## Related guides ### Best Suet Feeders Four suet feeders compared. [Read the guide →](/best-suet-feeders/) ### Best Hopper Bird Feeders Four hopper feeders compared. [Read the guide →](/best-hopper-bird-feeders/) ### Best Tube Bird Feeders Five tube feeders compared. [Read the guide →](/best-tube-bird-feeders/) ### Sources and method Feeder advice comes from Project FeederWatch. Seed suggestions reflect common feeder-expert guidance and are marked as such. Product specs were read from Amazon listings in October 2026. Corrections: corrections@thebirdfeederguide.com. [Project FeederWatch (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), Feeder Types: feederwatch.org/learn/feeding-birds/feeder-types/](https://feederwatch.org/learn/feeding-birds/feeder-types/) [Photo: European starling by iuliu illes on Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/@illes_cristi) Last verified October 2026 · Next review October 2027 ![](https://thebirdfeederguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/tbfg-logo-dark-1200w.png) The Bird Feeder Guide publishes research-based buying guides to help backyard birders choose durable, safe feeders. 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