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That Nest in Birdhouses70birds
That Nest in BirdhousesEuropean Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sturnidae
Genus: Sturnus
Species: vulgaris
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. idae appearance, resemblance
La. sturnus starling
La. vulgaris common, ordinary
About eight inches long. Dark glossy brown, black feathers tipped with gray or buff white. A yellow bill in winter charges to black in summer. Short tail feathers, pink legs. Walkers, not hoppers.
European starlings inhabit most of North America, often near people in cities, towns and on farms. In autumn, starlings gather in huge noisy flocks and migrate moderate distances, while in some areas they remain year around. Additional subspecies range throughout much of the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.
They are fierce competitors of bluebirds and other song birds in foraging and nesting including for birdhouses.
Flocks of starlings forage on lawns, in parks, farms and open grasslands for various seeds and fruits, both wild and agricultural, and for crawling insects.
European starlings build nests of twigs, grass, feathers and hair in abandoned tree cavities and rock cliffs, building nooks and crannies, steeples, towers, eaves and bird houses if not evicted.
Females lay usually about four to six pale greenish-blue or bluish-white eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.
“I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but Mortimer, and give it to him [the king] to keep his anger still in motion.” William Shakespeare
At one time, the European starling was a favorite caged bird because of its songs and ability to imitate sounds, which is probably why it was imported. Indeed, it has its own beauty.
The first flocks introduced in America did not survive. The sixty birds released by Eugene Schieffelin in Central Park in 1890 did survive.
Flocks were observed around New York City shortly thereafter including some that moved into the Museum of Natural History and they remained year around.
From an early U.S. Biological Survey: “Its unsightly nesting habits, antagonism to other birds, and its proneness to form immense roosts in residential sections counterbalance what good may be expected of its insectivorous habits.”
European starlings will nest in most any birdhouse of medium to huge sizes with entrance holes larger than 1 1/2″. Because starlings migrate short distances or not at all, they often have a head start selecting nesting sites and birdhouses.
It is completely ethical to remove European starlings and their nests if found in birdhouses and other building crevices as it will help more beneficial insectivorous song birds thrive. However the starlings are persistent. It is a never-ending battle.
European Starling
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Home
Sturnus vulgaris
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sturnidae
Genus: Sturnus
Species: vulgaris
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. idae appearance, resemblance
La. sturnus starling
La. vulgaris common, ordinary
About eight inches long. Dark glossy brown, black feathers tipped with gray or buff white. A yellow bill in winter charges to black in summer. Short tail feathers, pink legs. Walkers, not hoppers.
European starlings inhabit most of North America, often near people in cities, towns and on farms. In autumn, starlings gather in huge noisy flocks and migrate moderate distances, while in some areas they remain year around. Additional subspecies range throughout much of the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.
They are fierce competitors of bluebirds and other song birds in foraging and nesting including for birdhouses.
Flocks of starlings forage on lawns, in parks, farms and open grasslands for various seeds and fruits, both wild and agricultural, and for crawling insects.
European starlings build nests of twigs, grass, feathers and hair in abandoned tree cavities and rock cliffs, building nooks and crannies, steeples, towers, eaves and bird houses if not evicted.
Females lay usually about four to six pale greenish-blue or bluish-white eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.
“I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but Mortimer, and give it to him [the king] to keep his anger still in motion.” William Shakespeare
At one time, the European starling was a favorite caged bird because of its songs and ability to imitate sounds, which is probably why it was imported. Indeed, it has its own beauty.
The first flocks introduced in America did not survive. The sixty birds released by Eugene Schieffelin in Central Park in 1890 did survive.
Flocks were observed around New York City shortly thereafter including some that moved into the Museum of Natural History and they remained year around.
From an early U.S. Biological Survey: “Its unsightly nesting habits, antagonism to other birds, and its proneness to form immense roosts in residential sections counterbalance what good may be expected of its insectivorous habits.”
European starlings will nest in most any birdhouse of medium to huge sizes with entrance holes larger than 1 1/2″. Because starlings migrate short distances or not at all, they often have a head start selecting nesting sites and birdhouses.
It is completely ethical to remove European starlings and their nests if found in birdhouses and other building crevices as it will help more beneficial insectivorous song birds thrive. However the starlings are persistent. It is a never-ending battle.
Birds | Birdhouses | Plans | Forum
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sturnidae
Genus: Sturnus
Species: vulgaris
La. passer sparrow, small bird
La. forma form, kind, species
La. idae appearance, resemblance
La. sturnus starling
La. vulgaris common, ordinary
About eight inches long. Dark glossy brown, black feathers tipped with gray or buff white. A yellow bill in winter charges to black in summer. Short tail feathers, pink legs. Walkers, not hoppers.
European starlings inhabit most of North America, often near people in cities, towns and on farms. In autumn, starlings gather in huge noisy flocks and migrate moderate distances, while in some areas they remain year around. Additional subspecies range throughout much of the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.
They are fierce competitors of bluebirds and other song birds in foraging and nesting including for birdhouses.
Flocks of starlings forage on lawns, in parks, farms and open grasslands for various seeds and fruits, both wild and agricultural, and for crawling insects.
European starlings build nests of twigs, grass, feathers and hair in abandoned tree cavities and rock cliffs, building nooks and crannies, steeples, towers, eaves and bird houses if not evicted.
Females lay usually about four to six pale greenish-blue or bluish-white eggs which hatch after about two weeks incubation and young leave the nest in about another three weeks.
“I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but Mortimer, and give it to him [the king] to keep his anger still in motion.” William Shakespeare
At one time, the European starling was a favorite caged bird because of its songs and ability to imitate sounds, which is probably why it was imported. Indeed, it has its own beauty.
The first flocks introduced in America did not survive. The sixty birds released by Eugene Schieffelin in Central Park in 1890 did survive.
Flocks were observed around New York City shortly thereafter including some that moved into the Museum of Natural History and they remained year around.
From an early U.S. Biological Survey: “Its unsightly nesting habits, antagonism to other birds, and its proneness to form immense roosts in residential sections counterbalance what good may be expected of its insectivorous habits.”
European starlings will nest in most any birdhouse of medium to huge sizes with entrance holes larger than 1 1/2″. Because starlings migrate short distances or not at all, they often have a head start selecting nesting sites and birdhouses.
It is completely ethical to remove European starlings and their nests if found in birdhouses and other building crevices as it will help more beneficial insectivorous song birds thrive. However the starlings are persistent. It is a never-ending battle.