? Common Starling Conservation status: Lower risk (lc)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae Genus: Sturnus Species: S. vulgaris
Binomial name
Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758

The Common Starling or European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris, is a passerine bird in the family Sturnidae. Download high resolution version (800x973, 169 KB)Photograph of a Common Starling (an immature female apparently) Taken by user PaulLomax in London. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Subregnum Bilateria  Acoelomorpha  Orthonectida  Rhombozoa  Myxozoa  Superphylum Deuterostomia     Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicates Ascideiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders Many - see section below. ... Families Many, see text A passerine is a bird of the giant order Passeriformes. ... Genera Aplonis Poeoptera Grafisia Onychognathus Lamprotornis Cinnyricinclus Speculipastor Neochicla Spreo Cosmoparus Sarroglossa Creatophora Fregilupus (extinct) Necropsar (extinct) Sturnus Leucopsar Basilornis Streptocitta Sarcops Scissirostrum See also Myna, Oxpecker Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is a standard convention used for naming species. ... Carolus Linnaeus Carolus Linnaeus (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), also known by his noble title Carl von Linné   listen?, was a Swedish naturalist who laid the foundations for binary nomenclature. ... Families Many, see text A passerine is a bird of the giant order Passeriformes. ... Orders Many - see section below. ... Genera Aplonis Poeoptera Grafisia Onychognathus Lamprotornis Aplonis Aplonis Cinnyricinclus Speculipastor Neochicla Spreo Cosmoparus Sarroglossa Creatophora Fregilupus (extinct) Sturnus Leucopsar Basilornis Streptocitta Sarcops Scissirostrum See also Myna, Oxpecker Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. ...

This starling is native to most of Eurasia, but has been introduced to South Africa, North America, Australia and New Zealand. This adaptable and omnivorous species has proved to be a pest in several of these countries. In Western Australia, which is starling-free, the government pays full-time hunters to patrol the border and shoot starlings as they arrive. African-Eurasian aspect of Earth Eurasia is the landmass composed of the continents of Europe and Asia. ... World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere, bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west... Omnivores are organisms that consume both plants and animals. ... Motto: Cygnis Insignis (Distinguished by its swans) Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Governor Premier Const. ...

It is resident in southern and western Europe, but northern and eastern populations migrate in winter to these regions, and also further south to areas where it does not breed in Iberia and north Africa. World map showing location of Europe When considered a continent, Europe is the worlds second smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... // Long-distance land bird migration Many species of land birds migrate very long distances, the most common pattern being for birds to breed in the temperate or arctic northern hemisphere and winter in warmer regions, often in the tropics or the southern hemisphere. ... topographic map of the Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest continent and second most populous after Asia. ...

The Starling lives in a variety of habitats and can be found in any reasonable open environment from farmland to salt marsh. In geography, a marsh is a type of wetland, featuring grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, and other herbaceous plants (possibly with low-growing woody plants) in a context of shallow water. ...

These birds will eat almost anything, including farmland invertebrates and berries. This is a highly gregarious species, forming huge flocks in winter, and providing a spectacular sight and sound as they descend into evening reed-bed roosts, often attracting birds of prey such as Merlins or Sparrowhawks. Large roosts (exceptionally up to a million birds) can form in city centres, causing a great deal of mess from their droppings. Invertebrate is a term coined by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck to describe any animal without a spinal column. ... Orders Accipitriformes     Cathartidae     Pandionidae     Accipitridae     Sagittariidae Falconiformes     Falconidae A bird of prey or raptor is a bird that hunts its food, especially one that preys on mammals or other birds. ... Merlin Ambrosius (Welsh: Myrddin Emrys; also known as Myrddin Wyllt (Merlin the wild), Merlin Caledonensis (Scottish Merlin), Merlinus, and Merlyn) is the personage best known as the mighty wizard featured in accounts of Arthur of Britain starting with Geoffrey of Monmouths Historia Regum Britanniae. ... Binomial name Accipiter nisus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) is a small bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. ...

The Common Starling must be one of the most familiar of birds in temperate regions , with its shiny black plumage spangled with white. Confusion is only likely in Iberia in winter, when it has to be distinguished from the closely related Spotless Starling, which, as its name implies, has less spotting on its plumage. Adult male Common Starlings are less spotted below than adult females. Juveniles are dull brown, and by their first winter resemble adults but are browner especially on the head. Closeup on a single white feather A feather is one of the epidermal growths that forms the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on a bird. ... Binomial name Sturnus unicolor Temminck, 1820 The Spotless Starling, Sturnus unicolor is a passerine bird in the starling family Sturnidae. ...

Starlings walk rather than hop. Their flight is quite strong and direct; they look triangular-winged and short-tailed in flight. In most of Europe, only the rarer and much paler Bohemian Waxwing shares this flight profile. This is a noisy bird, and a good mimic, like many of its family. In captivity, they will learn to imitate all types of sounds and speech earning them the nickname "Poor-man's Myna"). Binomial name Bombycilla garrulus (Linnaeus, 1758) The Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) is a member of the waxwing family of passerines. ... † See also Starling, Oxpecker The mynas are part of the family Sturndidae, along with the starlings and oxpeckers. ...

Information on the care of Starlings as well as recordings of a Starling talking can be found at Starling Central.

The Common Starling is a hole-nesting species, and has impacted on native species where it has been introduced because of competition for nest sites.

Although there are approximately 200 million starlings in North America, they are all descendants of approximately 60 birds released in Central Park, New York, by Eugene Schieffelin, who headed an acclimatization society trying to introduce to North America every bird named in the works of William Shakespeare. World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is a continent in the northern hemisphere, bounded on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west... A wintry aerial view, looking south: ice on the frozen lakes, the Metropolitan Museum in the park at left, the East River and the Empire State Building in the distance Central Park (40°46′59″ N 73°58′20″ W) is a large urban public park (843 acres or 3. ... State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki (R) Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 km² (27th)  - Land 122,409 km²  - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

These starlings have created an evolutionary problem in North America since the species losing nesting sites have not found any defence. This is what makes the European Starlings so successful, and they can now be found throughout North America and Alaska. Because of the overpopulation and the threat these birds pose to songbirds, it is perfectly legal to kill Starlings at any time of the year in most American states. Charles Darwin, father of the theory of evolution by natural selection. ... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski (R) Official languages English Area 1,067,653 mi² / 1,717,854 km² (1st)  - Land 1,481,347 km²  - Water 236,507 km² (13. ... World population increase. ...

There are two subspecies of the Common Starling). The Shetland Starling, S.v. zetlandicus is slightly larger than the nominate S. v. vulgaris, and is found in Shetland, Fair Isle and the Western Isles. See Shetland (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... Fair Isle (From Old Norse frioar-øy) is an island administratively part of the Shetland Islands, although in fact closer to North Ronaldsay island which is part of the Orkney Islands group. ... The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Siar), also traditionally known as the Outer Isles, comprise an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. ...

The Faroese Starling, S.v. faroeensis is the largest (European) variant of the starling. The winter adult is black with blue shades, which become green in the summer. This subspecies is only found in the Faroe islands.

Originally the Starlings of Scotland and England were similar to those of the European mainland, but they died out in Scotland before 1800 and became rare in England. A hundred years later, around 1900, S. v. vulgaris, recolonised from Europe, and since about 1940 this subspecies has spread to Iceland, where there are today thriving colonies in both East and West Iceland. S. v. vulgaris is occasionally seen in the Faroes too. Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the UK Languages with Official Status1 English Scottish Gaelic Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population - Total (mid-2004) - Density Ranked 1st UK 50. ... 1800 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1900 is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1940 was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

External Links

• RSPB
• BBC
• Cornell University

Listen to a sample of the starling's song at: BBC dawn chorus