Category: Air Rifle Hunting

The common “brown” or “sewer” rat (Rattus norvegicus) is arguably the most despised and successful vertebrate pest of all time.

While the species hails from northern China (the origin of the misnomer “Norway” rat is still unclear) the brown rat is literally everywhere today – most likely within a hundred meters of where you are right now in fact…that is unless you happen to live in Antarctica.

The remarkable intelligence and complex social behavior of the brown rat, coupled with its amazing reproduction rates and unusual adaptability to varying climates and food sources certainly poised it for world dominance.

However, it is this rat’s uncanny ability to thrive in and around human infrastructure which propelled it out of Asia, throughout Europe and eventually into the Americas within a short few hundred years.

Yet, as interesting as this species’ biology may be, the brown rat has left of legacy of destruction in its wake. It is not only an unparalleled scourge on native flora, fauna and vegetation communities, but also poses a threat to human welfare worldwide by consuming/tainting our food and carrying numerous diseases and pathogens.

One way to control the brown rat around the home is through responsible airgun use. But before we get to that, you should learn a little more about what makes these animals “tick” – as it will likely make you more successful at defeating such a clever and adaptable foe.

Identification & Superficial Characteristics

Although it’s covered in a nondescript dark brown/grey pelt with a slightly paler underside, the hairless/slightly scaly tail and relatively large proportions (up to ¾ of a pound and 10 inches in length, without the tail) readily distinguishes the brown rat from squirrels and native mice. Moreover, this species is considerably larger and more robust (up to 2 times more massive) than the next most common member of the genus, the black rat (Rattus rattus), which is a more arboreal species that has a proportionally longer tail, more pointed snout and overall slimmer build among other distinguishing features (see figure below).

General Biology

Social Behavior

Despite being portrayed as the German cockroach of the rodent family, the brown rat is a highly intelligent, social mammal that operates within complex social hierarchies that closely resemble that of wild dogs. There are clear levels of dominance within groups, which are established/reinforced through play fighting, boxing, grooming and huddling behaviors. Individual rats tend to be territorial and are prone to violence when resources become limited. Those rats ranking lowest on the social ladder are typically among the first to die off in such situations. Nevertheless, family groups are strong and members have a rich repertoire of audible and ultrasonic vocalizations and chirps they use to communicate moods and warn each other of danger.

Reproductive Biology

As you can guess from their pest status, the brown rat is incredibly fecund.

Unlike many other mammals, female rats have no breeding “season” per se, and can essentially breed year-round if food/shelter is not limiting. Moreover, the brown rat has a very short gestation period (~21 days) and can produce up to six litters per year consisting of up to 14 pups at a time. Add to that a very short five-week period before the young reach sexual maturity and can start reproducing on their own, and it becomes clear why the brown rat is the very definition of an “invasive” species.

Diet & Foraging Behavior

To match the brown rat’s remarkable fertility is a willingness to eat just about anything.

Indeed, while the species is most known for consuming various types of grains/cereals, populations of rats can adjust their behavior to exploit local food sources. For example, one West Virginia population was reported to learn how to catch and eat small fish from a nearby fish hatchery (brown rats are excellent swimmers); while other reports confirm that they can dive for mollusks, hunt and eat songbirds/waterfowl and, perhaps most disturbing, even grow so bold as to attack human infants.

However, despite such a decidedly eclectic palate, one well- known researcher and the founder of the Animal Behavior society concluded after a 1964 study that the brown rat ultimately preferred more mundane, familiar fare, such as mac & cheese, scrambled eggs and cooked corn! It is no wonder why they have taken so well to our garbage.

Preferred Habitats & Home Range

The brown rat is a nocturnal/crepuscular burrowing species that, soil permitting, is prone to constructing complicated networks of tunnels, often with multiple levels and entrances. These tunnels and chambers, often situated along/adjacent/beneath a man-made or natural structures, are believed to provide a more stable thermal environment, easy food storage and a convenient refuge from predators and other above-ground threats.

Interestingly, virtually all of the digging required for these tunnels is done by females and young males; older males rarely contribute. This drive to excavate of course doesn’t mean that the brown rat is above using man-made tunnels, such as sewers, drainage ditches and other human excavations.

In addition to their affinity for natural/artificial burrows and tunnels, the brown rat appears to gravitate towards moisture. And in areas away from human development, the species is often found along the banks of river systems. This is presumably why they have taken so readily to municipal sewer/waste water systems in metropolitan areas.

Studies suggest that rats will roam in search of food if necessary but are true “homebodies” at heart. In fact, where a stable supply of food is close by, rats may never venture further than 20 meters from the nest.

Origin and Current Distribution

Believed to originate from the high plains of northern China, the brown rat is now common to every continent save Antarctica. Reportedly, this movement from its native lands was launched during the Middle Ages, where human migratory routes presumably facilitated their spread by providing both food and shelter. Yet, regardless what promoted their movement, by around 1750 it is clear that the brown rat was already a regular feature throughout much of industrial Europe and was beginning its “hostile take over” of North America.

Such conquests were not without interspecific drama, however. The black rat that was native to many of these areas may have resisted the advance initially, but likely quickly gave way to its much larger, more aggressive congener. This displacement was reportedly hastened also due to the brown rat’s comparatively greater adaptability to various foods and weather extremes, as well as its ability to burrow in/around human dwellings.

There is no consensus as far as how many brown rats presently occur worldwide; however, some estimates put the populations of brown rats in the UK alone at roughly 1.3 rats for each person alive!

Impacts and Threats

Displacement of Native Species

As far as threats to native species go, the brown rat is one of the most destructive invasive vertebrate species of all time, and may singularly responsible for causing or threatening the extinction of more plants and animal species worldwide than any other, next to mankind.

While the extent and nature of such impacts is well beyond the scope of this article, the brown rat threatens native flora and fauna in two general ways.

The first and most obvious manner is by predating on plants/animals directly. Brown rats can and will make a meal of just about any plant and animal they can catch and overpower. Nesting birds, small snakes, lizards and other terrestrial organisms are particularly easy targets for the brown rat, as are their eggs and young. And the threat is not limited to land; their strong swimming/diving ability also makes them a scourge upon intertidal and other shallow water aquatic organisms as well. This extreme opportunism and voracity has decimated countless species worldwide, with particularly obvious impacts to more vulnerable island populations. From devouring rare aloe plants on an island off the coast of Madagascar, to feasting on the eggs of the endangered Hawksbill turtles on the shores of Brazil, the brown rat is a common theme among reports of species declines/extinctions everywhere.

In addition, the brown rat also contributes to biodiversity loss indirectly by eroding habitats. By foraging on seed material and new tree/shrub starts, the brown rat can prevent forests/vegetation communities from recruiting new plants to replace dead and dying members, thereby permanently transforming/degrading those environments. Forests can give way to grasslands, and rare and specialized shrub communities can cede to near monotypic stands of noxious weeds. Yet, however they are altered, the point is that these communities can be changed to the point where they are no longer suitable for the wide assemblage of plants/animals that had previously evolved to live in these communities and nowhere else. The extent of these impacts is inherently vastly harder to quantify but potentially much more devastating to biodiversity overall.

Agricultural Losses

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that rats are responsible for destroying roughly 20% of all agricultural products worldwide. This is likely due to consuming food material directly, as well rendering much more food unsanitary as a result of contamination of stores from rat feces.

Public Health Issues & Property Damage

The brown rat is a known vector for many diseases and pathogens ranging from viral hemorrhagic fever and toxoplasmosis to trichinosis and even bubonic plague (which can also be transmitted by a number of other mammals, such cats, dogs, squirrels and native wood rats). Ironically, it is believed that the brown rat’s displacement of the black rat – the rat species technically responsible for the “Black Death” in 14th century Europe – actually led to the decline of the plague there.

If eating and pooping in our food stores wasn’t enough, the brown rat can also cause property damage due to its proclivity for gnawing on everything; power cables, irrigation lines, and all manner of wooden/plastic objects are all fair game for the restless brown rat. Likewise, the species tendency to burrow around homes can lead to problems where rats infiltrate walls, roofs or other structures.

Controlling Rats With an Air Rifle

Given their incredible reproductive rates and largely nocturnal behavior, an air rifle is definitely not the first or most effective line of defense when dealing with a rat infestation, and it is most critical to ensure that all nearby sources of food (such as granaries, waste receptacles, animal feed, etc.) are removed or secured. However, for dealing with individual rats that have established a pattern of behavior that allows an open shot, a good pellet rifle can provide targeted eradication without the need for indiscriminate poisons that can harm native wildlife or pets.

Choosing a Pellet Rifle for Eradicating Rats

Because rats are typically engaged at close range (within 10 yards typically), all of the hunting air rifles featured on this site, and some of the more powerful pellet guns, should do the job. However, due to the brown rat’s extreme toughness, we strongly encourage you to opt for a .22 over a .177 caliber model. It’s not that a .177 can’t kill rats – they can – but the .22 has greater stopping power (as we’ve discussed before) and can put them down more convincingly. For example, while it can also happen with a .22, it is very common for an adult rat to be shot clean through with a .177 caliber pellet  – and still manage to run back to the safety of a burrow! If you must use a .177 bore gun, do yourself a favor and use soft, hollow-point or wadcutter-type pellets to maximize impact.

Keep in mind, however, that regardless how much of a scourge rats may be to humans, they like any pest species deserves to be put down humanely. This means that if you don’t have a clear shot, or are too far away to reliably hit a rat in the head region for a one-shot kill, wait until a better opportunity presents itself.

How & Where to Hunt Rats

The biggest challenge when hunting rats with a pellet rifle is lighting. As nocturnal animals, they are difficult to target during most of their active period (unless you can afford night vision optics like this guy!). However, brown rats typically begin moving in earnest at dusk (which technically makes them “crepuscular”), when bright optics (or open sight shooting) can provide a good, albeit limited window of shooting opportunity.

In many cases, rats may emerge during broad daylight too. As usual, this normally revolves around food; bird feeders, left over dog/cat food and other items will often get rats out in the open and used to moving about during daylight hours. I personally recall a rat that came out promptly from underneath a doghouse (where it constructed a tunnel) to steal a bit of my dog’s food, every day and roughly at the same time – in broad daylight. As you can guess, this only went on for so long.

Yet, before the sun begins to set, do a careful recon of the affected area beforehand. Get a sense of where rats are coming from and are likely to be engaged. Obviously, food sources/dump sites/feed lots etc. will be the main destination of the local rat population, so start from there. But don’t forget routes between these food sources and nesting areas, which can be in/around drainage ditches, creek beds/banks, walls, along power lines, fence lines, woodpiles, hedgerows, and virtually any other natural/man-made feature that provides cover.

Rats are creatures of habit, and will typically avoid new objects in their environment and use the same routes to go from point A to B. Intercepting rats along these routes can be highly effective. Likewise, look for signs of burrowing/droppings around things like sheds, doghouses, foundations, etc., as these provide ideal opportunities for rats to build tunnels or temporary refuges between food stores. In many cases, with a bit of patience, you may be able to get clear shots as they emerge from or move around these structures.

As usual, above all, remember to shoot safely. Be certain that your shot will not carry and result in harm to people or unintended pets/wildlife, and remember to check with local rules and ordinances before undertaking any eradication effort, since these local rules often dictate how/if a firearm of any kind may be fired within city limits.

Below is video showing some very good air rifle shooting. Note that only clear head shots are taken.

Please don’t watch if you are uncomfortable with this method of extermination.

Image Credits (top down):

Jeans-Jacques Boujot under CC BY-SA 2.0
Jeans-Jacques Boujot under CC BY-SA 2.0
Vergleich Hausratte Wanderratte under CC-BY-SA-3.0
Alexey Krasavin under CC BY-SA 2.0
Ingrid Taylar under CC BY 2.0
jans canon under CC BY 2.0
Jrockley [Public domain]
Richard Bartz under CC BY-SA 3.0
Aquaimages under CC-BY-SA-2.5
Peter Firminger under CC BY 2.0
Robert Pittman under CC BY-ND 2.0

Article Sources:

Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Source 4
Source 5

Air rifles are perfect for getting rid of unwanted vermin around your property, and among the pest species that most often drive people to purchase an air rifle for this purpose is the Common or European starling (Sturnus vulgaris).

Despite being so unpopular, this is a seemingly innocuous, roughly 8-9 inch long bird belonging to the “song bird” family Passeriformes. But it’s not individually that they are the problem.

Originally native to Eurasia, the starling has been introduced all over the world and is now widespread throughout the northern hemisphere, where it is widely considered to be a public nuisance, major threat to native hole-nesting birds, and costly agricultural pest.

But before you go grabbing your airgun, let’s take a moment to “know thy enemy.”

Identification & Superficial Characteristics

Unlike some non-native sparrows, identifying this species is easy.

Adults sport characteristic iridescent black plumage that becomes flecked with white, especially during winter. Juveniles are by comparison a uniform grayish brown. The adults’ beak color changes during the year; it starts as yellowish in summer and fades to a darker grey/black in winter.

Although there are many subtle differences between them, the sexes can be distinguished most reliably by their eye color; the irises of males are a deep brownish, while those of the females are comparatively lighter, almost grayish.

General Biology

Social Behavior

Starlings are a gregarious bunch, and typically roost in large noisy groups. This communal behavior is believed to function as a defense against attack by natural avian predators, such as various hawks and falcon species. Likewise, when taking flight in response to an aerial threat, the flock moves together in a tight mass that seems to pulse and change direction randomly, much like a shoal of fleeing bait fish.

Flock sizes vary, with some of the largest witnessed in Denmark, where over a million birds may congregate in spring. Huge flocks of up to 50 thousand birds are also common in the UK during sunset in winter. The sight of so many starlings in flight is so spectacular that there is a specific name for it: they are called “murmurations.”

Watch below as a peregrine falcon repeatedly dive-bombs one such elusive murmuration in Torino, Italy.

Nesting & Reproduction

Starlings construct nests in cavities within trees, stumps or in man-made structures, such as walls, buildings and bird houses.

The male prepares a fairly “messy” nest that seems to require some vegetation and the addition of herb/decorative material as an attractant to entice a female.

After copulation, the female typically deposits 4 or 5 eggs that require approximately two weeks of incubation before hatching. A pair may breed twice between the spring and summer months if conditions are favorable and/or if the first clutch fails for some reason.

Once hatched, the young remain in the nest for another three weeks before venturing out.

Diet & Foraging Behavior

Starlings are most fond of small invertebrates, but also consume seeds and fruit when available. They are often seen probing the ground in search of food in open, closely-cropped grassland areas, including cattle grazing lands, where they may forage in large flocks on the ground and sometimes on the back of cattle.

Preferred Habitats

Common starlings are strongly associated with urban or suburban settings that afford abundant nesting and roosting areas, particularly where these are coincide with grasslands, farmlands, cattle pastures, sports fields or anywhere else grasses are closely-cropped. They are rarely found in densely wooded environs.

They are extremely versatile in terms of elevation preference, and can thrive along coastal areas and inland up to 6,200 feet in elevation.

Origin & Current Distribution

While the common starling and its various subspecies are native to Europe and western Asia, the species has been introduced to many locales, most often with the intent to combat some agricultural insect pest.

In North America, however, their introduction was motivated by a far less practical reason. In 1890, 60 birds were released in New York’s Central Park at the behest of the “American Acclimatization Society,” which endeavored to introduce all of the birds referenced in William Shakespeare’s plays to the United States. These 60 birds, released by ignorant, overzealous literary historians, are now responsible for a growing population estimated to consist of 150 million birds, roughly half of all of the starlings alive on earth.

As we discuss below, North America has suffered greatly from the Society’s misplaced romanticism, and has caused the US government to spend approximately $1.7 million in eradication efforts in 2008 alone.

Impacts & Threats From the Common Starling

So what’s the big deal? Why be concerned about starlings at all?

Displacement of Native Species

The starling’s preference for using just about any type of nest cavity impacts native species through direct competition for nest holes. This is an issue just about everywhere they have been introduced, with many native North American species affected; these include woodpeckers, martins, swallows, chickadees and nuthatches, to name a few.

Indeed, the starling’s reputation for ousting native birds and its extremely adaptable nature has awarded it an infamous spot on the IUCN’s List of the world’s top 100 worst invasive species.

Agricultural Losses

Beyond threatening native birds, the starling is also responsible for heavy economic losses. Their ubiquity and omnivorous nature makes them a scourge in various agricultural settings.

Starlings impact commercial fruit and vegetable production by eating products directly, or consuming/uprooting newly-planted seeds or seedlings. In addition, their foraging around livestock areas and spread of seed-laden droppings are believed to facilitate the spread of noxious weeds, which indirectly compromises the efficacy of agricultural practices.

Overall, the starling is blamed for economic losses in the US totaling approximately $800 million annually.

Public Health & Property Damage

The sheer number of these birds can create a variety of threats and problems, particularly in areas that provide optimum foraging and nesting habitats.

The large amount of droppings left by flocks present a safety issue because they are capable of harboring a variety of infectious diseases, the most notable of which being the pathogenic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum, the cause of histoplasmosis in humans.

Another safety concern is with respect to air travel. While just about any bird can potentially be sucked into an airliner’s engine, the large numbers of starlings in some flocks can be particularly dangerous. Think this is far-fetched? In 1960, one of the most disastrous mid-air strikes occurred; 62 people died when a turbo-prop plane passed through a flock of starlings and ultimately crashed into the ocean off of the coast of Boston, Massachusetts.

Finally, the presence of large, roosting colonies can create substantial noise disturbance in urban areas, along with noxious odors from the collective effect of hundreds or thousands of birds’ feces. The accumulation of large amounts of droppings can also cause substantial aesthetic damage to dwellings and other property that may be costly to repair, even if such roosting behavior is temporary and the property owner is successful in encouraging the flock to congregate elsewhere.

Controlling Starlings with an Air Rifle

Although they are a migratory species, due to their noxious, invasive nature, starlings are exempted from the protective ambit of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which otherwise levies stiff penalties for the taking or killing of migratory birds. Consequently, if otherwise following all other applicable state and local rules and regulations, a private land owner may take starlings at any time of the year without a permit.

Why Use an Air Rifle?

An air rifle makes an ideal weapon to combat starlings that congregate around the home.

Unlike using poisons or traps, which can inadvertently harm native species, an air rifle can kill with precision and no collateral damage to native wildlife. Further, unlike conventional firearms, a pellet rifle has the added benefits of generating less noise and having a much more limited projectile range, which greatly minimizes the potential for dangerous stray shots. As always, even when using an airgun, make sure that you can shoot safely and that you are complying with all applicable rules and regulations within your jurisdiction.

Choosing a Pellet Rifle for Starling Eradication

As far as which type of air rifle to use, all of the hunting air rifles mentioned on this site will do the job well, and our best-value picks (in our opinion) provide the highest level of quality and performance for the money. But whatever you do, do not use a BB gun. These are often highly inaccurate and are more likely to injure a bird, rather than kill it. Even though starlings may be pests – just like any small game animal – they at the very least deserve to be put down quickly and humanely.

Having said that, here are some things to consider when shopping for an air rifle:

• Power Plant / Cocking Effort. More important than the brand of the rifle is user preference and convenience. For example, if you are a female, younger or very slightly-built user, a good multi-pump pneumatic pellet rifle may be preferable over a powerful spring or gas-piston rifle that may be difficult to cock. Likewise, if you have large numbers of birds on your property and want something that affords repeat/faster shooting, then PCP or certain elite CO2 rifles, such as very powerful the Hammerli 850 AirMagnum, may be worth considering.

• Which Air Rifle Caliber? If you are using the air rifle to take primarily starlings and other small non-native bird pests, you don’t need much “stopping power” and a .177 caliber rifle is just as effective as a .22 model. In fact, to the extent you are looking for easier, longer-range shooting, the .177 may be a better choice, especially for relatively inexperienced shooters, due to its relatively flatter flight trajectory and less need for range finding. Just remember to use quality air rifle pellets and keep pellet velocities at or below 1000 fps to avoid breaking the sound barrier. If you don’t understand why this matters, make sure to review our general buying guide and article on air rifle hunting for some basic tips and information.

• Pellet Type. Any pellet that you can consistently shoot accurately is a good choice. However, depending on your rifle’s power and caliber, you may want to opt for one type over another. To get a better idea of your options, check out our general information article on selecting pellets.

• Do You Need a Scope? The open sights on most quality air rifles are probably sufficient for shooting at closer ranges, but when you start engaging starlings at much beyond 25 yards, your results will be greatly aided by the assistance of a quality air rifle scope (if you are not already buying a good “combo” with a scope included). Scopes in general can be a confusing subject, so we created a detailed introductory guide to put you in the right direction before buying.

Where to Hunt Starlings?

Starlings can often be encountered foraging out in the open, and may be taken as they attempt to make use of nest-holes or as they harass or try to oust native birds from existing nesting cavities.

And while you are unlikely to get off a second shot in a flock situation as they startle easily, the noise and disturbance created by an air rifle is likely to help discourage frequent use of your property, which is the whole point after all.

Again, as we’ve said before, obey all applicable laws and common sense, and always be conservative with your shots when possible.

Finally, don’t get cocky: taking game at great distances may boost your ego, but attempting to do so is more often than not likely to result in a miss or merely wounding a bird, which in turn causes needles suffering.

We strongly suggest that you only take shots at distances where you are able to consistently achieve a 1″ group (or smaller) during target practice.

Sources:

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3

Image Credits:

By PierreSelim under CC-BY-SA-3.0

By Garry Knight under CC-BY-SA-2.0

By Mike R under CC-BY-SA-2.0

By MPF under CC-BY-SA-3.0

By jans canon under CC-BY-2.0

By Lamiot under CC-BY-3.0

By David Corby under CC-BY-3.0