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European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) — photo 1 of 6
© marsupium photography CC BY-SA 2.0

Starlings · Perching birds

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Year-round

Voice

Song

Philippe_Grange

0:24

Call

Sonothèque ADVL

0:19

Song

Camille Vacher

0:09

How to recognize it

  • 20–23 cm, compact body, short tail

  • Glossy black plumage; winter plumage speckled with white

  • Bill yellow in summer, dark in winter

  • Walks and runs on the ground; flock flight fast, tight and synchronized

About the species

The European Starling is a busy, noisy companion with dark, glossy plumage that turns speckled in winter. On the ground it does not hop much, but walks and runs with a quick, slightly awkward stride.

Its voice is often the first thing you notice. It sings a lot, clicks, whistles, and readily copies other sounds, while the male can keep going for long stretches in spring, often fluttering his wings beside a chosen nest site.

It likes open grassy places, city lawns, parks, farms, and coasts. It feeds on insects, worms, seeds, and fruit, and in towns it also takes scraps; some populations stay year-round, while others move south for winter.

Did you know?

  • Riding cows for insects

    Starlings perch on the backs of grazing cows and pick off blood-sucking insects, turning the herd into a mobile feeding station.

  • City beggars

    In crowded city spots, starlings pick up the habits of pigeons and sparrows and practically beg for food at outdoor diners, while their countryside kin stay wary.

  • 500 km off course

    Young European Starlings displaced 500 km from the Netherlands to Switzerland kept their innate compass heading instead of correcting for the move, and wintered hundreds of kilometres south of their population's usual range.

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Sources