If different birds intrigue you, you are in for a treat. In this article, we will look into some essential facts related to the European Starling. This black songbird is often perceived as fierce and aggressive. However, it also has a certain degree of wariness, making it hard for anyone to capture it.
European Starlings are bold, making them easily adapt to any habitat. So, whether it’s the cities, farms, or parks, you will see these birds wandering almost everywhere without worrying about anything in the world.
If you delve deeper, you will find a European Starling to be one of the most interesting birds on this Earth. So, to help you know more, we have listed 10 fun and interesting facts about this bird. Dig in to find out.
The 10 Most Interesting and Fun Facts About European Starlings
1. European Starlings Entered America in the 1980s
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There is an interesting story behind this fact. These birds entered America in the 1980s when hundreds and thousands of birds were released in the Central Park in New York.
The intention of releasing them was that America should have all the birds that Shakespeare mentions in his books, poems, and tales. So, inspired by Shakespeare’s writings, European Starlings have been found flying around buildings, parks, and fields of America.
2. This Bird Changes Its Appearance Every Season
A European Starling has a stocky body with unique white spots during winter. However, as the summer season approaches, the bird’s body color gets darker and shimmery, except for the upper wings.
What’s more, while on a flight, the bird’s less-pointed wings change into a triangle shape while its tail remains short. Also, as soon as winter comes, the bird’s sharp and long beaks turn from gray to yellow.
When it comes to weight and size, a European Starling’s length remains between 7–9 inches long, while its weight fluctuates between 55–101 grams.
3. These Birds Can Eat Anything
Image Credit: GAIMARD, Pixabay
Interestingly, the European Starlings can consume anything. This is why you may find them everywhere. From parks to buildings, these birds are pretty much always busy in the search for food. However, these birds are not a fan of wild areas and deserts.
European Starlings hunt down objects such as spiders, butterflies, grasshoppers, and earthworms when looking for food. But when there are few insects available, they look for seeds and fruits.
In fact, a few studies revealed that these birds have a strong sense of taste. They can easily taste sugar, tannins, and citric acid, all types of bitter compounds found in various fruits. These birds can also differentiate between table sugar and other forms of sugar. Since they can’t digest sucrose, this quality helps European Starlings consume the right type of food.
4. European Starlings Reproduce in Summer and Spring
European Starlings consider warm seasons favorable to reproduction, such as spring and summer. During a single season, female birds lay four to six eggs through a daily process. The eggs laid are either blue or white in color.
These birds can reproduce twice a year and are not hesitant to lay eggs in each other’s nests. In fact, a female bird can lay her egg in the other female’s nest without disruption.
Some female birds try the parasitic tactic, and these are the ones that don’t get a male bird to mate at the start of the breeding season. Birds that take longer to start breeding often face a decreasing chance of their nest’s success.
Finally, once born, the baby starlings take only 21 days before they are on their own.
5. They Communicate Loudly
Image Credit: GAIMARD, Pixabay
Believe it or not, European Starlings are one of the loudest birds on this planet. They are highly vocal and only remain quiet when molding.
The male birds love creating warbling, gurgling, and creaking sounds. Also, the birds love to chatter and whistle and produce rattles and liquid sounds.
European Starlings are excellent mimics and can copy the sounds of other birds. When they need to make a call, they choose varying sounds and pitches to create warning sounds.
6. These Birds Molt
Once every year, European Starlings go through the procedure of molting. During this phase, they shed their feathers, which often happens during summer. Then, the shredded feathers are replaced by new and fresh ones.
A newly molted bird has white spots on its black plumage, which start to turn dark as the weather gets colder.
7. They Can Cause an Infestation
Image Credit: Naturelady, Pixabay
Unfortunately, while these birds look innocent, they have all the qualities to cause infestation. They consider human dwellings a perfect spot to build their nest, so if you find them flying around your place, it is time to take action.
Unfortunately, the droppings of these birds have fungi, which can be very dangerous to your health. Besides, these droppings can also ruin your building’s structure with time.
So, if you spot a nest near your place, it is best to take measures to get rid of it because the birds might be slowly planning to take over.
8. They Are Smart Birds
European Starlings are smart birds that can easily find their predators from a long distance and can alert their fellows to fly away. Further, they can even find food hidden deep into the soil.
These birds have pointed and sharp beaks that make it easy to dig deep and find something to eat.
9. Some Common Problems Related to European Starlings
Image Credit: Piqsels
Do you know that European Starlings are often considered a problem regardless of their attractive features? That’s because they can easily damage crops by eating them instead of pests. In addition, they often enter the fields in large groups and can damage the crops daily.
Moreover, as mentioned earlier, these birds are aggressive. This means that they have the capability to wipe off all other birds around them.
European Starlings often carry transmissible diseases and can result in substantial sanitization problems. Therefore, having them around signifies that you should get rid of them. But, you can opt for other safe methods instead of killing these birds.
10. The Oldest European Starling
Interestingly, the oldest European Starling in the region of North America was found to be male. This bird was at least 15 years and 3 months old before his death in Tennessee. His death happened in 1972.
