Starlings eating all my suet

I recently put out a suet feeder to attract some woodpeckers and I notice the starlings pigging out on it. I have only seen 1 red-bellied woodpecker come to feed on it and it was promptly chased off by a starling. I'm beginning not to like the starlings. Granted they are beautiful, intelligent birds, but I am starting to see them as a nuisance. Is there a certain type/brand of suet that will not attract starlings? Thanks for any help.

Starlings will always swarm your suet unless they are physically unable to get to it. I use a cage around my suet feeder.

Good luck!

Newtophoto wrote in post #7648943
I recently put out a suet feeder to attract some woodpeckers and I notice the starlings pigging out on it. I have only seen 1 red-bellied woodpecker come to feed on it and it was promptly chased off by a starling. I'm beginning not to like the starlings. Granted they are beautiful, intelligent birds, but I am starting to see them as a nuisance. Is there a certain type/brand of suet that will not attract starlings? Thanks for any help.

There are several options here. First, try switching to insect suet rather than one with seeds or berries or fruit. That has really cut down on the starlings at my suet feeder. Second, use a suet cover like this one. Or get a suet feeder inside an outer cage that the big birds can't get into like this one.

I too use a suet with a cage and it keeps them away. Some will stop by but quickly leave. Or you can leave the suet in the plastic and hang it upside down.

From what I have seen, the Starlings only hang around for a short time in spring and late fall. I enjoy seeing them, so it's not a problem, but I only get a few.

canonloader wrote in post #7652115
From what I have seen, the Starlings only hang around for a short time in spring and late fall. I enjoy seeing them, so it's not a problem, but I only get a few.

Lucky you! We have them year round here.

Have you ever thought of raising a chick as a pet? They make excellent pets and can learn to talk.

I got rid of the suet and now fill it with peanuts (in the shell). The starlings and crackles began to disappear from out feeders. They still come once in a while, but aren't around for long at all!

As others have suggested, you can use a cage. Also try an upside down suet feeder, it could be a mesh type or an upside down log (I have the latter.) That way the larger woodpeckers can still access it, where a cage might keep them out. I also have a vertical suet log which the starlings can sometimes get on, but they have a hard time with it.