Starling

The starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is one of the commonest garden and city birds in Britain, being found throughout the whole country and resident throughout the year - except in north-west Scotland. The starling was originally an inhabitant of deciduous woodland, but the species is now far more likely to be found in towns, cities and suburbs.


Appearance

The starling is about 20-23 centimetres (8.5 inches) in length, which is slightly smaller than the blackbird, with which it is often seen in gardens. The bill is longish and pointed, the forehead flat, the tail short and the wings triangular in flight.

The plumage of adult starlings appears black at a distance, but when seen at closer quarters it is clear that it has glossy green and purple colouring, with paler spots. The wings have buff edges to them. Female starlings have a less metallic sheen than do males, and they are more spotted.

Starlings provide one of the most spectacular sights to be seen in the evening sky when large flocks, sometimes hundreds of thousands strong, swoop and soar over reed beds or city centres as they prepare to roost, making fascinating and ever-changing patterns as they do so. This is known as a “murmuration” of starlings.


Song

The starling can hardly be described as a songbird, given the huge variety of grating and whistling noises that it produces. Many of these sounds are harsh and strident, the starling being one of the noisiest birds that urban dwellers are likely to hear, especially when a group of birds are arguing among themselves. Many people are deceived into answering their phone, only to discover that the noise has come from a local starling, because the bird is a talented mimic of man-made and natural sounds, including those of other birds.

A recording of the starling’s song, plus a video of starlings feeding, and other information, is available on this page of the RSPB website.


Breeding behaviour

Nest building is from April to June, with the female starling doing the work, sometimes with male assistance. The nest, in any convenient hole or crevice, or in ivy, comprises pieces of root and dry grass. Four to six eggs are incubated by both parents in turn, for about two weeks. The nestlings are fed by both parents with insects, larvae, worms and molluscs. They spend about three weeks in the nest.

The young birds stay close to their parents even after they have fledged, and it is not unusual to see juvenile starlings that are almost as big as their parents still expecting to be fed long after they are perfectly capable of feeding themselves.

A second brood is often raised when the first brood has gained its independence.


Red list status

Adult starlings have a more vegetarian diet than that of nestlings, adding seeds, berries, fruit and cereals. Given the gregarious habit of starlings, this makes the bird an unwelcome visitor in many places, such as vineyards, orchards and fruit farms. Measures to dissuade starlings from causing damage to crops have led to a decline in numbers in many rural areas, which is why the starling is a red list species in the United Kingdom despite its buoyant populations in urban and semi-urban surroundings.

© John Welford