The Starling

Starlings were brought to North America by the Europeans. They are occasionally resented because they are a foreign bird and have grown very numerous. But they are nevertheless beautiful songbirds and their glossy summer coats as well as their dappled winter feathers are a pleasure to see.

Starlings are found near human dwellings (towns suburbs etc), and roost on wires, trees, and houses. They live in parts of Europe and Asia, and are an invasive species in North America.

Starlings eat seeds, fruits, insects and other small animals like snails and earthworms. Starlings are very competitive, and are not afraid to steal food from other birds. They are just as competitive when it comes to nesting.

Starlings build their bulky nests in cavities like nesting boxes, drainpipes, or on houses. Nesting materials consist of grass, twigs, weeds and other vegetation, as well as feathers, string, paper, or whatever else the birds have found. Female starlings lay 4-7 eggs which are incubated through a period of 12 days. Chicks fledge in 21-23 days. Starlings can have up to three broods per year.




sources: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/european_starling/id
http://www.sialis.org/starlingbio.htm
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/european_starling.htm