Bird watch news March

March’s Bird Watch Newsletter features the European Starling.

Sturnus vulgaris

Despite being a common bird, I seldom see Starlings alight in my garden, though I often see them flying overhead, easily recognized by their triangular wings and direct purposeful flight. Large numbers of them roost among a row of willow trees nearby. Outside their breeding season, Starlings gather together in communal roosts which may comprise hundreds of individuals. While they disperse to forage during the day, in the evenings they gather together in noisy congregations. They are very social birds and produce a wide range of vocalizations, among them whistles, clicks, gargles, chuckles and warbles. Indeed the collective term for them is a ‘murmuration of starlings’. Like their Asian cousin the Myna, they are also capable of mimicking other bird songs and sounds they hear around them.

The Starling gets its name from the white tips of its feathers, which resemble stars against the dark background of the rest of its feathers. This is more poetic than its species name vulgaris, which is Latin for common or ordinary. Colour variations are wide and include black, purple, brown and green. After moulting in late summer, the white ‘stars’ of the new feathers are at their brightest. Over winter the tips of the feathers wear away, so by the start of the breeding season in September, a starling may appear much less speckled. During the breeding season, the dark bills of both males and females turn yellow. Appropriately from an anthropomorphic perspective, the base of the female’s bill turns pink while the base of the male’s turns blue. Both the male and female build the nest, which is comprised of a loose collection of grass, leaves and pine needles stuffed in the hole of a tree or a crevice on the side of a cliff or building or in a man-made nest box. Single males may begin to build a nest on their own, adorning it with flowers and other greenery to attract a mate. Apparently herbs which act as insect repellents are sometimes added. One or two clutches of between 4-5 pale blue eggs are laid each breeding season, which finishes in November. Both the male and female feed the young.

You can tell a lot about a bird’s diet by the shape of its beak. Form equals function. The starling’s slim pointy beak is adapted to stabbing insects. Indeed, it was introduced to New Zealand in the 1860’s to control the insect pests that were plaguing farmers, such as grass grubs and caterpillars, a service they continue to provide to this day. Starlings also pick ticks off cattle and sheep. While primarily insectivorous, they also eat nectar and fruit and thus can be a pest to orchardists. No one is perfect. 

If you would like to get involved in our backyard bird monitoring then please click the link to the online garden survey form:
 
http://creator.zoho.com/brooksanctuary/garden-bird-monitoring/form-perma/BWS_Garden_Bird_Monitoring_Form/