From Opus

Alternative name: European Starling

Photo by Ragna

Sturnus vulgaris

[edit] Identification

L. 20-22cm Wide variation in plumage. Both sexes are similar, although the female is less glossy than the male

[edit] Non-breeding

• Glossed black with a purple and green shine
• Tips of the body feathers have large white spots
• Dark bill
• Brown legs

With wear, the white spots are lost, while the bill and legs turn yellow.

[edit] Breeding

Photo by Rookery
Juvenile
Havelock North New Zealand, December 2008

• Adults glossy-black without any spots
• Young birds are dull grey-brown

[edit] Distribution

This starling is native to most of Eurasia, but has been introduced to South Africa, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

[edit] Taxonomy

Polytypic. Consists of twelve subspecies.

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

• S. v. granti:

• Azores

• S. v. vulgaris:

• Canary Islands and Iceland to Ural Mountains, northern Ukraine and south-eastern Europe

• S. v. faroensis:

• Faeroes

• S. v. zetlandicus:

• Shetland Islands

• S. v. tauricus:

• Eastern and southern Ukraine, Crimea and Asia Minor

• S. v. purpurascens:

• Western Transcaucasia to Georgia and Armenia

• S. v. caucasicus:

• Volga Delta and northern Caucasus to Caspian Sea and southern Iran

• S. v. nobilior:

• Afghanistan, Transcaspia and Khorasan

• S. v. poltaratskyi:

• Eastern Ural Mountains to Lake Baikal, Kazakstan and western Mongolia

• S. v. porphyronotus:

• Southern Dzungaria and Tien Shan Mountains to Pamir Mountains and Samarkand

• S. v. humii:

• Western Himalayas (Kashmir to Garhwal)

• S. v. minor:

• Locally in western Pakistan (Sind)

[edit] Habitat

Photo by targetman
Worlaby, Lincolnshire, October 2007

Varied. Can be found in any reasonably open environment from farmland to salt marsh.

[edit] Behaviour

Starlings walk rather than hop. Their flight is quite strong and direct; they look triangular-winged and short-tailed in flight.

Very gregarious out of the breeding season.

[edit] Breeding

Nests in thatches, nest boxes, tree holes.

[edit] Diet

They mainly feed on insect larvae but are opportunist feeders and will visit bird tables. They also like autum berries.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.

• List of references

[edit] External Links

For videos of Starling Roosts