Species Highlight: European Starling
| "... I'll have a starling shall be taught to speak..." - William Shakespeare, Henry IV ~1596-97  |
| European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
In the early 1890's, Shakespeare enthusiasts released 100 European Starlings in New York's Central Park (Cornell 2019). The goal? To share Shakespeare - to share beauty - with the people of America. Fast forward 130 years: there are over 200 million European Starling in North America (Cornell 2019). They've become one of the most widespread species on the continent:
|
For more information, visit https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/maps-range.
European Starlings are between 7.9 - 9.1 inches in length, 2.1 - 3.4 ounces, and have a wingspan of 12.2 - 15.8 inches (Cornell Lab 2019). For easy comparison, keep in mind that they're smaller than an American Robin (Turdis migratorius) and around twice the size of a House Sparrow (Passer domesticus). European Starlings are commonly found in disturbed settings anywhere from towns to the countryside. They're social birds and typically seen flying, perching, or foraging in large groups. Their diet consists mainly of insects, seeds, and berries which leads them to feed in fields, lawns, parking lots, and even on sidewalks.
From a distance or in poor lighting, a starling might be easily confused with a blackbird. Up close, their summer plumage is black with a an "oil slick" appearance (purple-green iridescence). In winter, their plumage is more of a dark brown; it's still iridescent, but covered in white spots all over. What's interesting about their seasonal color change is that European Starlings only molt once a year. The drastic change is caused by "wear molt" - new feathers are produced in the fall and wear down by spring to give them their shiny, dark summer coloring.
Starlings are fascinating for a number of reasons, but one of their most notable is their vocal mimicry. They have been known to learn the calls of up to 20 different species including the American Robin, the Red-tailed Hawk, and the Northern Flicker (Cornell Lab 2019). Scientists have also learned that starlings are capable of discerning different tastes. They can tell the difference between citric acid, salt, sugar, and tannins (Cornell Lab 2019). The ability is unique and an important adaptation for starlings, especially because they are unable to digest certain things such as sucrose (Cornell Lab 2019).
As intriguing as they may be, this fact remains: European Starlings are an invasive species. Most people and organizations consider these birds to be pests. Even Audubon isn't shy about admitting its contempt for this species. The USDA considers starlings to be problematic for their damage to agricultural resources, particularly livestock and dairy facilities, because they contaminate and consume feed (USDA 2015). They're also known to cause property damage and threaten aircraft operations and safety (USDA 2015).
European Starlings pose a number of ecological threats as well. They're known to transmit bacteria and diseases to other species: ducks, chickens, and even horses and cattle (Linz et al. 2007). They outcompete native species for resources and habitat, particularly other cavity nesting birds like Red-headed Woodpeckers and bluebirds (Audubon 2019). They even been observed seizing nesting sites that have already been established by other birds. European Starlings also have parasitic tendencies. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology explains that females which breed later in the season have been known to lay their eggs in the nests of other females that have bred earlier in the season.
Management and control efforts in the United States have been underway for decades. Agencies like the USDA and the U.S. Forest Service have management plans in place, but population numbers continue to rise. Methods range from trapping and euthanization to the application of DRC-1339, an avian pesticide (Thiele et al. 2012). These and other methods - like blocking potential nest sites and the use of audio deterrents - can also have unintended consequences for non-target species. The consequences seem to be worth it, however, since this starlings are expected to be on the "winning" side of climate change: more abundant with a wider range:
Resources
From a distance or in poor lighting, a starling might be easily confused with a blackbird. Up close, their summer plumage is black with a an "oil slick" appearance (purple-green iridescence). In winter, their plumage is more of a dark brown; it's still iridescent, but covered in white spots all over. What's interesting about their seasonal color change is that European Starlings only molt once a year. The drastic change is caused by "wear molt" - new feathers are produced in the fall and wear down by spring to give them their shiny, dark summer coloring.
Starlings are fascinating for a number of reasons, but one of their most notable is their vocal mimicry. They have been known to learn the calls of up to 20 different species including the American Robin, the Red-tailed Hawk, and the Northern Flicker (Cornell Lab 2019). Scientists have also learned that starlings are capable of discerning different tastes. They can tell the difference between citric acid, salt, sugar, and tannins (Cornell Lab 2019). The ability is unique and an important adaptation for starlings, especially because they are unable to digest certain things such as sucrose (Cornell Lab 2019).
As intriguing as they may be, this fact remains: European Starlings are an invasive species. Most people and organizations consider these birds to be pests. Even Audubon isn't shy about admitting its contempt for this species. The USDA considers starlings to be problematic for their damage to agricultural resources, particularly livestock and dairy facilities, because they contaminate and consume feed (USDA 2015). They're also known to cause property damage and threaten aircraft operations and safety (USDA 2015).
European Starlings pose a number of ecological threats as well. They're known to transmit bacteria and diseases to other species: ducks, chickens, and even horses and cattle (Linz et al. 2007). They outcompete native species for resources and habitat, particularly other cavity nesting birds like Red-headed Woodpeckers and bluebirds (Audubon 2019). They even been observed seizing nesting sites that have already been established by other birds. European Starlings also have parasitic tendencies. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology explains that females which breed later in the season have been known to lay their eggs in the nests of other females that have bred earlier in the season.
Management and control efforts in the United States have been underway for decades. Agencies like the USDA and the U.S. Forest Service have management plans in place, but population numbers continue to rise. Methods range from trapping and euthanization to the application of DRC-1339, an avian pesticide (Thiele et al. 2012). These and other methods - like blocking potential nest sites and the use of audio deterrents - can also have unintended consequences for non-target species. The consequences seem to be worth it, however, since this starlings are expected to be on the "winning" side of climate change: more abundant with a wider range:
 |
| Range extent based on a 3°C warming scenario. For more information, visit https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/european-starling. |
Resources
- Audubon. (2019, October 11). European Starling. Retrieved from https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/european-starling.
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (2019). European Starling Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Retrieved from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/overview.
- Linz, G. M., Homan, H. J., Gaukler, S. M., Penry, L. B., & Bleier, W. J. (2007). European Starlings: A Review of an Invasive Species with Far-Reaching Impacts. Retrieved from https://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/publications/07pubs/linz076.pdf.
- Thiele, J. R., Linz, G. M., Homan, H. J., & Unrein, G. W. (2012). Developing an Effective Management Plan for Starlings Roosting in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Retrieved from https://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/nwrc/publications/12pubs/linz123.pdf.
- USDA. (2015, June 5). European Starling. Retrieved from https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/operational-activities/sa_invasive/ct_invasive_starling.
Hi Jessica,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to come on here any say I absolutely love this post about the Starling. They are beautiful and intelligent; I've heard a story that the Romans were actually able to get them to talk, like parrots. It's too bad they are so invasive.
Thank you! I agree - they are gorgeous and intelligent birds. I also didn't realize they were capable of mimicking humans. I just did a quick search and found this short YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhBaVInb3jI. If you have a moment, check it out - it's not everyday you hear a starling say "European Starling" and "Central Park in New York City"!
Delete