Talk:European Starling

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Poor picture layout at present, but I expect that the entry will expand a improved it eventually. But then, it's not much of a picture. These things are everywhere, so I'll doubtless get a better one to replace it with before too long.

Also, should this species be entered as Common Starling? My texts all list it that way. Tannin 10:33 1 Jul 2003 (UTC)

Most modern American bird books I see call it the European Starling. I don't know which name is more common in the bird's native homeland, but I'm guessing that European Starling is the most common name in the United States. --Evice 21:10, 15 February 2007 (UTC)

Another picture is available at Image:Common-Starling.jpg RedWolf 23:23, Dec 23, 2004 (UTC)

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[edit] Something I have always wondered at...

Hi,

I live in New York City and despite this I have a keen interest in wildlife. Starlings are fairly common around here and as I read up on them I came to a question: If the UK is losing its starling population, and the U.S. has too many, then why not round up a large amount of them and send them back to where they came from? I am no expert, but I imagine there are other European countries that might want them as well.

--MK 06:17, 31 December 2005 (UTC)shadowcat60

[edit] drug manufacturer who wanted every bird found in Shakespeare

'European starlings have a way of appearing in unexpected places — the United States, for example, where they are not native but owe their origin to a brief reference in Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Part 1.” In 1890, a drug manufacturer who wanted every bird found in Shakespeare to live in America released 60 starlings in Central Park. After spending a few years nesting modestly under the eaves of the American Museum of Natural History, they went from a poetic fancy to a menacing majority; there are now upward of 200 million birds across North America, where they thrive at the expense of other cavity nesters like bluebirds and woodpeckers, eat an abundance of grain — as well as harmful insects — and occasionally bring down airplanes.' Flight Patterns, By JONATHAN ROSEN, NYT April 22, 2007 [1]-69.87.200.81 14:14, 22 April 2007 (UTC)


[edit] How they take over.

My dad told me about how the Starlings are taking over and threatening local bird populations. He said that they lay an egg in another bird's nest. The mother bird takes care of it until it hatches. The baby bird drives out/kills the other babies, but the mother bird continues to take care of the starling. There's probably a name for this technique. I think it should be included (by someone who can explain it easily). (sorry I don't know how to sign posts) KannD86 01:50, 10 May 2007 (UTC)kannd86 9:47pm May 8, 2007

unfortunately the above refers to the Common Cuckoo not the starling. jimfbleak 05:26, 10 May 2007 (UTC)
If you live in North America, your dad was probably talking about the Brown-headed Cowbird, another dark bird that is a brood parasite. MeegsC | Talk 08:01, 18 July 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Omnivorous

I think that the comment that Starlings are omnivorous is not accurate enough. Starlings may eat everything at some point in time but they seem to prefer insects to anything else...many a time I have watched Starlings completely ignore starchy food-sources to focus exclusively on protein-rich insect foods! Is there any way we could expand this comment to be more accurate? For example, shouldn't this page contain enough information to discuss how Starlings' diet differs from other "omnivorous" birds such as, say, the common grackle? Cazort (talk) 13:44, 12 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Vocalizations

This page desperately needs a vocalizations section! There's hardly anything said about these on this page, and it's one of the most interesting and important aspects of this species, and relates to virtually all the different sections, and has been studied extensively. Cazort (talk) 13:44, 12 January 2008 (UTC)