Common Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Distribution 6
Global Range: Native to Eurasia; introduced in the U.S. in New York City in 1890. Now breeds from southeastern Alaska, across southern Canada, south through most of U.S. to southern Mexico; also in Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico (very local in the late 1980s). Periodically reported from St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Reported casually in Hawaii.
Habitat 7
The European Starling is a bird of lowlands, found mainly on non-mountainous terrain. During breeding season, these birds require holes for nesting, as well as fields of vegetation for feeding. For the remainder of the year, the starling utilizes a larger range of habitats, from open moorland to salt marshes. The usual nesting sites are holes and crevices in trees, buildings, and rooftops. Starlings too plunder on other birds' nests and use them as their own. (Feare 1984; Kahane 1988; "Encarta Online" 2000).
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; chaparral
Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban ; agricultural
Behaviour 8
European starlings are highly vocal all year long except when they are molting, when they are silent. The songs of males are highly variable and have many components. They warble, click, whistle, creak, chirrup, and gurgle. European starlings are also accomplished mimics, often copying songs or sounds of other birds and animals (frog calls, goats, cats), or even of mechanical sounds. European starlings can be trained to mimic human sounds in captivity. Other calls include a "querrr?" sound used while in flight, a metallic 'chip' that warns of a predator's presence, and a snarling call made while attacking intruders.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Sources and Credits
- (c) PierreSelim, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/Toulouse_-_Sturnus_vulgaris_-_2012-02-26_-_1.jpg
- (c) Larry Meade, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/34323709@N07/5390615290/
- (c) LUZMARIA, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Estorninopinto.jpg
- (c) The Pingus, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/4711913823/
- (c) Katya, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/katunchik/32739453210/
- (c) NatureServe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), http://eol.org/data_objects/28916963
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31424917
- (c) The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/31424921
