The European Starling is
a bird everyone has seen, even if they didn't know what it
was. Even though it was introduced
to the United States, it has quickly become one of our most
common birds.
Starlings are
medium-sized birds, growing to about 8 inches long. They
have short tails and are somewhat chunky. Their color is
mostly black, with a bill
that is yellow in summer and black in winter. Starling
feathers are often irridescent, meaning they have a
greenish-purple shiny-ness to them when light hits them just
right.
In Winter, starlings have
white spots.
Copyright, Mike
Danzenbaker
Copyright, Dan
Sudia
Copyright, Arthur
Grosset
Today, starlings live just about
everywhere. They are very comfortable living around people and have
no problem nesting on, or inside, buildings. Starlings nest in
cavities
(holes) and are very aggressive when looking for a good spot. If a
starling gets to a good spot first, they easily defend it from other
bird species.
If the starling finds the cavity already occupied, it will often
destroy eggs
or kill nestlings of the other birds. This causes great problems for
many of our native
birds that nest in natural tree cavities or bird houses, such as
Eastern Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Great Crested Flycatchers, House
Wrens, and woodpeckers.
Once a nesting spot is found,
starlings build their nest from twigs,
grass, dried leaves,
rootlets,
flowers,
weed
stems, feathers, and trash. Eggs hatch in about 10 or 11 days.. One
reason starlings spread so quickly is because one pair of starlings
can have three clutches
(batches of eggs) each year.
Copyright, Dan Sudia
European Starlings eat
many different foods, including seeds
and fruits,
as well as insects
and other small animals. Some fruits include: cherries,
mulberries, elderberries, Poison Ivy, Virginia Creeper, wild
grapes, Eastern Redcedar, Pokeweed, blueberries, dogwoods,
and oaks (acorns). Animal foods include caterpillars,
beetles, and other insects, as well as snails, slugs,
millipedes, centipedes, earthworms, and spiders. They will
also eat animal feed and some trash.
Just as they are
competitive
with nesting spots, European Starlings are also competitive
when it comes to food. They are not afraid to take over a
good feeding spot from other birds.
Copyright, Arthur
Grosset
In Winter, starlings form huge
flocks,
sometimes in the thousands. Males usually outnumber females in these
flocks. Starlings will also travel in mixed flocks with other
species, including Red-winged Blackbirds, Common Grackles,
Brown-headed Cowbirds, or American Robins. Flocking helps protect
birds from predators;
they are more likely to see a predator coming if there are more
birds.
Predators of starlings include
hawks, falcons, owls, snakes, cats, and other bird
predators.
European Starlings are good voice
mimics.
They can learn other birds' songs.
Starlings are known to live 15
years. They often return to the same nest every year.
European Starlings do good and bad
for people. They eat lots of insects which helps control
pests.
Also, many people think they are pretty birds to look at, and they
don't mind being around humans. Starlings can be pests themselves,
though, eating crops. They also can make a mess when they nest
inside, or on top of, a building. Large groups of starlings also make
a lot of noise. What causes the most concern is their aggressive
nature. Many of our wonderful native birds have trouble competing
with European Starlings.
