I live in a development, but I have a huge backyard full of starlings that need to die. Since ranges are closed, this is my alternative for now.  I will most likely be shooting out my kitchen window .  Any suggestions appreciated!

Fx impact

I use a Daisy 717 or Baikal IZH-46, but a M853 is more powerful and slightly quieter. The 717 is just barely strong enough to put a pellet in the lung. IZH can punch holes in both lungs, sometimes with exit wound.

You cannot go wrong with a Benjamin Marauder, or Armada (essentially the same gun wearing different furniture.)  You will need some method of filling it, however.  The choices here are a high pressure tank like a SCUBA or SCBA bottle, or a hand pump.  

The advantage with the SCBA bottle over the SCUBA tank is that you can fill your rifle all the way several times before you need to fill the tank.  The disadvantage is SCBA bottles are you need to have a local place that can fill them, and they are a bit more expensive up front.  Since the Marauder can be tuned to work at a bit lower fill pressure, a SCUBA tank will give several fills.  This is the option I use, since there is no place nearby that can fill the SCBA bottles.  With either tank option, you need an appropriate device to fill the gun.

The hand pump is another option.  Again, a lower fill pressure tune helps here as well.  If you go this route, I suggest going to the Hill/Air Venturi pump instead of the others.  You will be rebuilding the others several times for the same number of fills.

Stepping up, the Brocock Compatto is a very hand pump friendly semi-bulpup.  The FX Impact suggested above is a "jump into the deep end to learn how to swim" version of the airgun world.  With its large on board bottle, you will need SCBA bottles (note: bottles, not just one).  These are so damn accurate that you will likely be ordering pallets of pellets, just to see what you can actually do. (Of course this is an exaggeration, but I did witness someone buying a pallet of pellets once who shot an Impact.)

Marauder FTW. Mine is awesome. Going strong with the benji hand pump for 2 years now. Thousands and thousands  of pellets down range. I’ve got a 22, but a 177 should be perfect for your quarry. Mine loves the JSB 18.1 gr pellets.

Superbly accurate and whisper quiet, pretty efficient on air and all that for a great price.

Jackrabbits, raccoons, skunks, prairie dogs have all met their demise after a stealthy shot from the MROD.

Get one, you won’t regret it!

ETA:
The result of an 80y +- shot on a prairie dog.

Checking zero/ pest control in the pig saddle (awesome setup btw)

Showing off the new barrel band (Tim Hill airgun) and TLR gamespotter.

Well, what did you go with?

I got a Benjamin Prowler in .22 at Wally world for $100.  This thing is a tack driver.


Thanks everyone for the info, maybe I'll move up to a Marauder some day.