| European Starling | |
|---|---|
 Adult. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Sturnidae |
| Genus: | Sturnus |
| Species: | Sturnus vulgaris |
The European Starling, Common Starling, or simply Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a common bird in the family Sturnidae. It is native to Europe and has been introduced in North America.
Taxonomy[]
The European Starling is, along with the Spotless Starling, the only member of the genus Sturnus, which once included many other starling species.
The European Starling has many subspecies, which vary in size and plumage.
- S. v. vulgaris, the nominate subspecies, found in mainland Europe, the British Isles, Iceland and the Canary Islands, and introduced into other continents.
- S. v. faroensis, endemic to the Faroe Islands, larger and darker than the nominate subspecies, and with less spotting.
- S. v. zetlandicus, found in the Shetland Islands, similar to the previous subspecies but slightly smaller.
- S. v. granti, found in the Azores, smaller than the nominate and with strong purple gloss on the upperparts.
- S. v. poltaratskyi, found in Siberia, with conspicuous light cinnamon-buff fringes to under wing-coverts and axillaries.
- S. v. tauricus, found in the Black Sea area, similar to the nominate but with longer wings and bronze gloss on body.
- S. v. purpurascens, found in Eastern Turkey, also with long wings, gloss mostly purple, has dark underwing with slim white fringes to coverts.
- S. v. caucasicus, occurs from Volga Delta through eastern Caucasus and adjacent areas, has green gloss on head and back, purple gloss on neck and belly, more bluish on upper wing-coverts. Underwing like purpurascens.
- S. v. porphyronotus, found in Western Central Asia, similar to tauricus but smaller.
- S. v. nobilior, found in Afghanistan, SE Turkmenistan and adjacent Uzbekistan to E Iran, similar to porphyronotus but with shorter wings and reddish gloss on underside and upperwing.
- S. v. humii, found from Kashmir to Nepal, smaller than the nominate and with gloss mostly green.
- S. v. minor, native to Pakistan, small and mostly purplish.
Description[]
Juvenile.
It measures about 20 cm (8") in length, 37-42 cm (14.5-16.5") in wingspan, and 40-105 g (1.4-3.7 oz) in weight. In summer, adult Starlings of both sexes have a black plumage with a metallic green and purple gloss and very small white flecks on the undertail, and a yellow beak. In the male, the bill has a blueish-grey base; in the female, it has a pale yellow base. In winter, the plumage becomes less dark and glossy and has many white and light brown flecks, and the bill becomes dark grey. The juvenile is light brown, with a particularly pale throat and barely visible streaking on the belly. The juvenile's plumage is similar to the adult's during the bird's first winter, except for the head, which remains light brown. The Starling can be easily mistaken for a Common Blackbird, though it has pointed wings (the Blackbird has rounded wings), glossier plumage, and shorter tail.
Life History[]
Flock in flight.
The European Starling is a highly gregarious bird. Outside of the breeding season, Starlings gather in huge flocks of up to several hundred birds, to roost on trees for the night. Flying in large groups also helps these birds escape the attacks of predators such as the Peregrine Falcon, the Sparrowhawk, the Eurasian Hobby, and large gulls such as the Yellow-legged Gull. The European Starling isn't a migratory bird. Unlike Blackbirds, Starlings move on the ground by walking and bobbing their heads instead of hopping.
Feeding[]
Adult (S. v. faroensis) with food.
The European Starling mainly eats earthworms, insects, caterpillars and other small invertebrates, but seeds, berries and fruit become an important part of its diet in autumn and winter. It usually forages on the ground or on trees, and is a frequent (albeit often unwanted) visitors to bird feeders. Sometimes it steals eggs and chicks from other birds' nests. Starling chicks are fed completely on an animal diet.
Breeding[]
Adult at nest.
Around mid-March, male Starlings start singing to establish their territories and attract mates. Most male Starlings are monogamous and actively participate in chick-rearing, while some are polygynous, having multiple mates but generally not tending to their nests. Polygynous males are generally healthier, as they only have to provide for themselves, but their mates and young may suffer from poor health. The offspring of monogamous males tend to have lower mortality rates, since they benefit from bi-parental care.
The European Starling nests in natural cavities in trees or rocks, on buildings (especially on roofs, gutters and eaves), and in nest boxes. The male builds a cup-shaped nest made of leaves, grass and stems, and may even decorate it with leaves and petals from plants that have insecticidal properties, which help kill nest parasites. The female then lines with feathers, wool and moss, and lays 4-9 30 mm long pale blue-green eggs which she incubates for a couple of weeks. The young, altricial, are covered in grey-brown down, and their throats are bright yellow internally. After 20-22 days of life, the young starlings fledge, but remain near the nest for many more days. They breed for the first time at 1 or 2 years of age. This bird often raises more than one brood per year, usually 3. Among Starlings, there exists a peculiar behavior known as intraspecific brood parasitism, which is when a female lays eggs in a nest guarded by another female of the same species, an expedient which probably has the purpose of increasing the production of eggs and/or to preserve the offspring in case its parents die.
Vocalizations[]
The European Starling's song is a series of chirps, squeaks and whistles. The male sings with his throat feathers fluffed up and his wings partially spread. The bird can also imitate sounds, including other species' vocalizations.
Distribution and habitat[]
European Starlings in urban habitat.
Native to Europe and southwestern and central Asia, the Common Starling has been introduced to the Americas, Oceania, and Africa, often with negative consequences for local species as well as agriculture. The species was first brought to North America in 1890, when about 100 birds of the nominate subspecies were released in New York City's Central Park. The Starling went on to colonize the entirety of the contiguous US as well as southern Canada and northern Mexico, becoming one of the most abundant birds in North America.[1] The Starling and the House Sparrow, another introduced European species, pose a threat to weaker native species such as the Eastern Bluebird, as they compete with them for food and nesting sites. The bird was introduced into New Zealand and southwest Australia occurred in the 1880s, in hopes that it would help eliminate insect pests.[2] Ringing records and distribution records for this species in South Africa are lacking and generally limited to Cape Town, where 18 European Starlings were first introduced in 1897 in an effort to make the Cape look more “British”.[3]
The European Starling is a highly adaptable species found in a great variety of habitats, including open woodland, rural areas, rocky cliffs, towns and large cities. It is one of the most common urban birds along with the Feral Pigeon and the House Sparrow, and is also one of the few species to thrive in rural areas where intensive agriculture has replaced traditional, more "eco-friendly" modes of agriculture.
Gallery[]
