European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris

The European Starling was introduce in New York in 1890. Starling have spread across North America like a plague. They aggressively compete with native species of birds for nesting cavities. They are a pest in the same category as rats and mice in grain farming areas of North America. A few years ago, I was shocked , when a pair started feeding regularly, in the yard next door. The plague had reach Anchorage, Alaska! I was even more disturbed when I discovered half of a discarded hatched egg shell, in the garden, a few weeks later. They were breading in Anchorage, Alaska! Now we have a small resident population.

I had grown up in mid-west farming country and always considered them: “The ugly Black vermin.” However, I must admit, the winter plumage of the European Starling has an intricate fascinating pattern when seen up close. But, I just do not share Resin passion for the European Starling.

Look at the intricate pattern on the back of this European Starling. Not exactly just a drab, ugly, black colored bird.

I had been wanting to add the European Starling to my digital photo collection. This afternoon while trying to photograph Waxwings, I found two large flocks of birds, one of each species. The flocks were rather loosely associate, spread over four city blocks. The birds were constantly moving in small groups. Sometimes, birds of both species were perched in the same tree. We only have six hours of daylight now, and every day is shorter than the one before. The sun is low in the southern sky at midday, not the best conditions for bird photography. I was on the east side of the Starlings in this picture at 2:10 PM, but they are nearly silhouettes.


This message was edited Nov 28, 2007 10:28 PM

I think of Starlings as rather attractive birds......but that is probably because I see so few of them. I'm sure if I had flocks of them I would not feel the same.

Grasmussen, I agree with you. Though I don't have a problem with them at the feeder (occasionally a few will discover the suet and really attack it) they don't hang around long and I won't see them for a number of weeks. One thing that does amaze me about them is how a huge flock of them will wheel and turn in unison in flight. It's like they know what each one is thinking at exactly the same time. Incidently, have the House Finches made it as far as Anchorage yet? I remember when they arrived here about 15 or so years ago. Now they're as common as the House sparrows.
Jim

LOL, I won't say Congrats on the new bird Gary. I feel pretty much the same as you but this year I guess I have the Hawks to thank for not seeing them in my yard so far as there are hundreds in town.

They do have some beauty and their group flying can be awesome(jim) but you are exactly right GP. Last year mine nested all around just outside my yard so I had a double whammy of them.
This could be the reason I don't see the Red-bellieds anymore.

I see starlings at my feeder once in a while . One day I had a huge flock land in my back yard , there were about 50 of them and they were all trying to get into the bird bath at the same time . It was cømical to watch as they swooped down into the water and tryed to push out each other out water flying, wings flapping beaks pecking squawking it was a real brawl ! then just as suddenly as they came they all left . it amazes me the way birds flock what causes them to all get up and go at the same time and in the unison? it looks so choreographed .
laura

Hi Laura, There has been some incredible footage captured of large groups of Starlings flying in unison. I posted it last year here from Youtube; I think it was taken in California.
If anyone would like to see it again let me know and I'll go look for it.

Some of you may have heard, there's a big survey of Britain's birds just started this winter:
http://blx1.bto.org/atlas/

I'm doing my bit for it; so far I've surveyed two of my squares (square size 2km × 2km), both suburban habitat with good bird diversity. Been finding some good birds; but the Starling numbers have been decidedly worrying:

Square 1: NONE
Square 2: three

If I'd done the same survey 25 years ago, I'd have probably seen a few hundred Starlings.

On the up side, I've had a total of just over 40 species, including Kingfisher (3 of them!), a Woodcock, and a Blackcap (a wintering warbler, rare this far north).

Resin

Need to join to see the numbers.

I'm about to post some incredible Starling footage in its own post. Not sure when it was taken but its really amazing.

I wasn't paying much attention where it was from; the narrator is British but you really need to see it.

I'll post the link to it here as soon as its up. Pelle

Here it is.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/794237/

This message was edited Nov 30, 2007 10:15 AM

Resin, is the cause of the decline in Starlings, on your side of the pond, known?

A lot of it is due to agricultural intensification (too-efficient crop harvesters; insecticides, herbicides, etc., etc., removing their food supply), but there are probably other causes (maybe several?) not understood yet.

Resin

Gee I wish you could see the video Resin have you ever been birding in that area?

In October issue of "Physics Today", there are photos of huge flocks of Starlings in Rome. Some of these flocks have up to 50K starlings. You can enlarge the cover to see the flocks, and you can also read the story of the latest in flocking
research.

http://ptonline.aip.org/dbt/dbt.jsp?KEY=PHTOAD&Volume=60&Issue=10

I am passing along this info posted on AKBIRD by Paul Fritz

Very neat!