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Starling (Guadalajara, Spain) (1 Viewer)

S

SLopezM

Sergio López Martín
I have seen these two birds today in my city. I guess they are both the same species (I would say Sturnus unicolor), but I would like you to explain me why they look different and what plumage does each bird have.
 

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Right hand bird is probably a hybrid between Sturnus vulgaris and S. unicolor - note that it does not have the long slender throat and crown feathers typical of the latter, while not being wholly typical of pure S. vulgaris either.
 
Thank you! Another question I have is about the colour of the beak. Is it always the same in this species or does it change like the plumage? How is it different from Sturnus vulgaris?
 
I wouldn't say it's a hybrid as there were many other birds (which don't appear in the photo) that looked the same. In addition, although there might be some, I have never seen Sturnus vulgaris in my city.
 
SLopezM said:
Thank you! Another question I have is about the colour of the beak. Is it always the same in this species or does it change like the plumage? How is it different from Sturnus vulgaris?
Click to expand...
The same between the two species:

Winter - blackish

Summer - yellow with a pale blue base (male) or pale pinkish base (female)

So in your pic, the left bird is male, the right bird female, regardless of which species of starling they are.
 
SLopezM said:
Thank you! Another question I have is about the colour of the beak. Is it always the same in this species or does it change like the plumage? How is it different from Sturnus vulgaris?
Click to expand...

At least in Common Starling, the bill base colour is sex related. Blue for male, pink for girl. Gender stereotyping in action ;).
 
SLopezM said:
I wouldn't say it's a hybrid as there were many other birds (which don't appear in the photo) that looked the same. In addition, although there might be some, I have never seen Sturnus vulgaris in my city.
Click to expand...
Sturnus vulgaris is mapped as wintering throughout Spain, so you are likely to get at least some. I've not been to Guadalajara myself, but not too far to the northeast, most of the Starlings I saw in Catalonia were hybrids; the closer to the Pyrenees the more like S. vulgaris, the further south the more like S. unicolor. Quite likely that at least some of these hybrids will move south in the winter (particularly the ones from the Pyrenees where they are forced to move by severe winter weather).
 
As has already been noted the left-hand bird is, without question, a Spotless Starling. I see no reason why the right-hand bird isn't one too (albeit in a different plumage). The "long slender throat and crown feathers" may be typical of Spotless Starling but can be less obvious due to posture and 'typical' doesn't mean 'always'!
 
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