Starling

Scientific Name: Sturnus vulgaris

Size:                          21.5cm 

Weight:                  75 - 90g 

Wingspan: 37 - 42cm 

Lifespan: 5 years 

Breeding: mid-April 

Number of Clutches: 1-2 

Number of Eggs: 4-9 

Incubation Days: 12-15 

Fledg Days:           20-22 

Habitat:                   Urban and rural settings such as farmland, parks, gardens, towns and sewage farms. 

Distribution:   Europe (except Iberia, Greece), c Asia, WINTERS: s to n Africa, s Asia, INTRODUCED North America, Australasia 

Description

The Starling is quite an unruly bird, noisy and scruffy looking and often in groups seemingly mobbing feeding stations and gardens in a chattering mass. In summer the birds have black-brown feathers with a green and purple iridescence, slight buff edges to the wing feathers, red-brown legs and a long yellow beak with a patch of colour at the base signifying sex, males have blue and females pink. In winter the iridescence fades and white speckles form over the entire upper and lower parts although they are somewhat less pronounced on the wings and rump of the male and the bill fades to a dark grey-brown. Juveniles are grey-brown with a light cream colouration on the throat and large white speckles on the under parts. They have a fast and direct flight and with their triangular and pointed wings drooped back look like little Harrier jets coming in to land in the garden.

Nest

The male builds the nest from grass in a hole in a wall, tree or building, but the female lines it with feathers, wool and moss. The male may decorate the nest with leaves and petals in order to deter parasites and improve his chances of attracting a mate.

Feeding

Starlings seem to feed on just about anything: insects, worms, snails, berries, fruit, scraps, suet. However, they feed only invertebrates - not "junk" food - to their young. Their beak is used to probe the ground and is powerful enough to be opened to part the ground and reach food that is buried, they can also swivel their eyes forward to look along the length of their bill to the area they are probing. They are often found with Lapwings in wetland areas, where they feed on the food that the Lapwings have disturbed - this is called commensal feeding.

Legal Status

Starling populations have declined seriously (by over 70%) in recent times and are on the Red List of birds of high conservation concern. There are several causes of this decline: changes in farming practices, changes in grassland management, loss of invertebrate food through the use of pesticides, fewer nesting sites in urban areas owing to household improvements and poorer survival rates among young birds.

Voice

Starlings are great at mimicry, with examples including machines, such as telephones and car alarms, and other birds such as curlews and Pied Wagtails. Consequently, it's difficult to know what their song is other than a medley of squeaks, clicks and whistles. Male Starlings can be heard singing throughout the year except when they are moulting in July and August.