European Starling

Breeding adults have glossy black plumage with iridescent green and purple metallic sheens and yellowish bills. Non-breeding adults and winter plumage feature heavy white speckling over the dark body and a dark bill. Juveniles are plain grayish-brown with pale throats.

Short square tail, triangular wings in flight, yellow bill (in breeding season), speckling during winter, and iridescent sheen on head and back.

Length: 20-23 cm (7.9-9.1 in), Wingspan: 31-42 cm (12-17 in), Weight: 58-101 g (2.0-3.6 oz)

A complex, varied song consisting of squeaks, whistles, clicks, and remarkable mimicry of other bird species and mechanical noises.

Omnivorous; feeds primarily on insects, spiders, and earthworms, but readily consumes fruits, seeds, nectar, and human scraps.

Highly adaptable, found in open country, agricultural lands, urban and suburban areas, woodlands edges, and coastal cliffs.

Partial migrant; northern populations are strongly migratory, moving south or west for winter, while southern and urban populations are largely sedentary.

Nests in cavities such as tree hollows, nest boxes, and building crevices. Lacks a complex nest structure, using a messy pad of straw and feathers. Clutch size is typically 4 to 6 pale blue eggs.

Can be confused with Brewer's Blackbird or Common Grackle, but starlings have shorter tails, stouter yellow or dark bills, and speckled or iridescent speckled plumage rather than uniform black.

Helps control agricultural insect pests by consuming large numbers of grubs and beetles, though introduced populations can compete with native cavity-nesting birds and damage fruit crops.

Least Concern, with stable or increasing global populations.

Look for them in open fields, lawns, and urban parks, especially near bird baths or feeding stations. They are bold and vocal, making them easy to observe.

European Starlings are master mimics capable of imitating human speech, car alarms, and other birds. Their spectacular winter murmurations can number in the hundreds of thousands of individuals.