Is it possible that starlings are quicker than a speedy pellet?

[cross hair]

I see that there are lots of post about starling kills but I'm not so lucky. I quit feeding birds cause the pig eating starlings clean house on the suet.
I set up a plan and placed the suet in my firing range at 30 yards. The starlings found it zappo...with my LCS .30 I was zeroed in dead on at 30 yards. The black birds landed, p
I pulled the trigger and missed. I'd look at the suet cage and the pellet hit exactly where I was aiming. This happened several times.

I figured that the starlings heard the gun fired and they are so quick that they flew off before the pellet impacted. The speed of sound is 1125.328 ft/sec. 30 yards is 90 feet. With my pellet velocity of about 700 fps this gives the snappy black bird a split second to scat. But, I'm sure I just missed.

 

[Sqwirl57]

I think Ted's Holdover actually had a video on this exact topic.

Edit: Yup. Here it is.

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

I'd wager a fair amount of birds are smarter than people give credit. Some can ID guns, and I'm sure some can ID even muffled reports and associate it will fallen friends/family.

 

[Seth0764]

At 30 yards there's no way they can intentionally dodge a pellet even at 700 fps

 

[Stubbers]

At 30 yards there's no way they can intentionally dodge a pellet even at 700 fps

This, maybe unintentionally.

 

[cross hair]

I think Ted's Holdover actually had a video on this exact topic.

Edit: Yup. Here it is.

 

[cross hair]

Now that was totally awesome! How'd he do that is amazing. The funniest unexpected part was him feeding his cats the kill!

 

[cross hair]

At 30 yards there's no way they can intentionally dodge a pellet even at 700 fps

I believe you're correct but I still thought otherwise because I just couldn't believe I missed so many times. I did pluck a few feathers off one though. That made me feel better.

 

[Sqwirl57]

This, maybe unintentionally.

More of an instinct thing I think. I've had wrenches/tools fall off lifts and have only had them miss me because I saw it out of the corner of my eye and instinctively flinched away from it. Im sure everyone here has had something similar happen as well.

Most birds have pretty good eyes and would have about 0.15 seconds to react once that trigger is pulled and almost a full tenth of a second after the sound reaches them at 30yds.

 

[cross hair]

More of an instinct thing I think. I've had wrenches/tools fall off lifts and have only had them miss me because I saw it out of the corner of my eye and instinctively flinched away from it. Im sure everyone here has had something similar happen as well.

Most birds have pretty good eyes and would have about 0.15 seconds to react once that trigger is pulled and almost a full tenth of a second after the sound reaches them at 30yds.

That's close to my math but didn't want to post such a thing!

 

[Stubbers]

They could be reacting to the action / trigger pull / hammer hitting stem...but not the pellet, not enough time unless they're samurai birds in our midst.

 

[Sqwirl57]

They could be reacting to the action / trigger pull / hammer hitting stem...but not the pellet, not enough time unless they're samurai birds in our midst.

I can see a .177 pellet leave my barrel at 900 fps and fly 30yds to my target so I can't see any reason why an animal with as fast a reaction time as your average bird couldn't get lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a .30 cal pellet at 700fps mid flight and flinch away. Not saying they'll be able to do it every time but I'm sure it can happen.

 

[Stubbers]

Your brain/eyes are seeing something from 150+ ms ago fwiw...viewing the past, not real time.

I can see a .177 pellet leave my barrel at 900 fps and fly 30yds to my target so I can't see any reason why an animal with as fast a reaction time as your average bird couldn't get lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a .30 cal pellet at 700fps mid flight and flinch away. Not saying they'll be able to do it every time but I'm sure it can happen.

 

[cross hair]

I can see a .177 pellet leave my barrel at 900 fps and fly 30yds to my target so I can't see any reason why an animal with as fast a reaction time as your average bird couldn't get lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a .30 cal pellet at 700fps mid flight and flinch away. Not saying they'll be able to do it every time but I'm sure it can happen.

I totally agree with you but there are so many post of guys knocking these birds out, at multiple distances, I can make an exception or excuse that their birds are used to shots fired and mine are not. But...that's about as a dumb thing I could think of.

 

[Sqwirl57]

I totally agree with you but there are so many post of guys knocking these birds out, at multiple distances, I can make an exception or excuse that their birds are used to shots fired and mine are not. But...that's about as a dumb thing I could think of.

Yeah I'm not saying its likely by any means. I'm taking your post pretty literally when you asked "is it possible?"

Yes I think its possible. Based on the number of pests I've hit, not likely what happened.. but possible!

 

[Goldwing]

Crow are ******* stupid and even give away there location by there big mouths

 

[L.Leon]

I would say that after all the “math” and “conjecture”? You simply missed, more than once, it happens, but never to me, of course.

 

[Orv]

I can see a .177 pellet leave my barrel at 900 fps and fly 30yds to my target so I can't see any reason why an animal with as fast a reaction time as your average bird couldn't get lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a .30 cal pellet at 700fps mid flight and flinch away. Not saying they'll be able to do it every time but I'm sure it can happen.

I'm just a bit curious, but why would you be choosing a .30 cal pellet for birding? My .22 cal seems to rid our trees of them pretty quickly and my Aussie trustingly brings them back to me for a mere snack. Birds are short lived when I shoot with my Dragonfly MK2 from 25 to 30 yds. I believe that the sound of my pumper is less sharp than that of my TX200 springer. By the by, I'm certainly no crack shot, but I do sometimes led my shot on birds that may be weary. Orv.

 

[maxtrouble]

I see that there are lots of post about starling kills but I'm not so lucky. I quit feeding birds cause the pig eating starlings clean house on the suet.
I set up a plan and placed the suet in my firing range at 30 yards. The starlings found it zappo...with my LCS .30 I was zeroed in dead on at 30 yards. The black birds landed, p
I pulled the trigger and missed. I'd look at the suet cage and the pellet hit exactly where I was aiming. This happened several times.

I figured that the starlings heard the gun fired and they are so quick that they flew off before the pellet impacted. The speed of sound is 1125.328 ft/sec. 30 yards is 90 feet. With my pellet velocity of about 700 fps this gives the snappy black bird a split second to scat. But, I'm sure I just missed.

Have you tried a different caliber? A .177 or .22 might be a better choice. I have killed several cowbirds this year with .177 and .22 springers. I even killed one with my P17. I am not sure who was more surprised, me or the cowbird! 20 yards with .177 wadcutter and he was DRT.

 

[Firewalker]

The winds have been 10-20 mph the past few days here and the poor little CPHP gets pushed all over in heavy winds. I can see the pellets flight in the blue sky as I shoot at Starlings as the young birds dont understand that they are exposed on the tops of the branches.

I missed more than I shot the past few days but I can see the pellet so I can watch them fly within a half inch from the bird and I have yet to see one jump or leave the branch because of a pellet whizzing by.

Old Starlings are warry, they know me, they sit on the far side of the Black Willow and they jump at every shot hit or miss. I have yet to see one "jump out of the way". If I want to spend some cash, I hit them with the .30 Mav right through the tree.