Common starling
A glossy, mimicry-gifted bird with vast invasive populations.
The common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It measures about 20 cm (8 in) in length, with glossy black plumage that shows a metallic sheen and is speckled with white at certain times of the year. Its legs are pink, and its bill changes color seasonally: black in winter and yellow in summer. Young birds have browner feathers than adults. The species is noted for its gift of mimicry, referenced in historical literature such as the Mabinogion and the works of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare.
About twelve subspecies breed across open habitats in temperate Europe and the Palearctic, extending to western Mongolia. It has been introduced as an invasive species to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, and Fiji. Populations in western and southern Europe and southwestern Asia are resident, while northeastern groups migrate south and west in winter, reaching Iberia and North Africa. The common starling builds an untidy nest in natural or artificial cavities, laying four or five glossy, pale blue eggs. These hatch after about two weeks, and the young remain in the nest for another three weeks. Typically, one or two broods are raised each year. The bird is omnivorous, feeding on a wide range of invertebrates, seeds, and fruit. It is preyed upon by various mammals and birds of prey and hosts numerous external and internal parasites.
Large flocks can benefit agriculture by controlling invertebrate pests, but starlings themselves become pests when they feed on fruit and sprouting crops. Their large urban roosts cause noise and mess. Introduced populations have faced controls including culling, with limited success except in preventing colonization of Western Australia. Since the 1980s, numbers have declined in parts of northern and western Europe due to fewer grassland invertebrates for chicks. However, the huge global population is not declining significantly, so the species is classified as least concern by the IUCN.
- Scientific name
- Sturnus vulgaris
- Length
- 19–23 cm (7.5–9.1 in)
- Wingspan
- 31–44 cm (12–17 in)
- Native range
- Temperate Europe and Palearctic to western Mongolia
- Introduced range
- Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, Fiji
- Conservation status
- Least concern
Lore & Background
The common starling was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758 under its current binomial name. Its closest relative is the spotless starling, and mitochondrial gene studies suggest the spotless starling could be considered a subspecies. The species has about 12 subspecies, which vary clinally in size and plumage color, with extensive intergradation causing taxonomic uncertainty. The common starling builds an untidy nest in natural or artificial cavities, laying four or five glossy, pale blue eggs that hatch after two weeks, with young remaining in the nest for three weeks. It is omnivorous, feeding on invertebrates, seeds, and fruit. Large flocks can benefit agriculture by controlling pests, but starlings also damage fruit and sprouting crops and create nuisances through noise and mess at urban roosts. Introduced populations have been culled with limited success, except in preventing colonization of Western Australia.
Reader's Guide
The common starling's significance lies in its dual role as both a beneficial and pest species. Its large flocks can control invertebrate pests, aiding agriculture, but it also damages fruit and crops, and its urban roosts cause noise and mess. Introduced populations, particularly in North America and Australia, have become invasive, prompting control measures that have had limited success. The species has declined in parts of northern and western Europe since the 1980s due to reduced grassland invertebrates for chicks, but its global population remains large and is classified as least concern. Its mimicry has been noted in literature, including the Mabinogion and works by Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare. The common starling's adaptability and widespread introduction make it a notable example of human-mediated species dispersal and its ecological consequences.
Did You Know?
- The common starling has about 12 subspecies breeding across its native range.
- Its gift for mimicry has been noted in the Mabinogion and works by Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare.
- The species has been introduced as an invasive species to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Argentina, South Africa, and Fiji.
- The common starling's bill is black in winter and yellow in summer.
More in Birds 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record