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Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
- When to see: All year round
- UK conservation status: Red
- Bird family: Old world sparrows
- Protected by: The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
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About the Starling
One of the most gregarious garden birds that there is, the starling favours a crowd. Renowned for their murmuration, the starling flock will swoop and dive through the skies, displaying the most mesmerising patterns for onlookers.
Identifying features:
From afar, the starling seems to display a more muted and toned down plumage than most other birds. But when close-up, a medley of oil slick colours are visible throughout its feathers. In the cooler months, they showcase a brown colouring with white speckles, with the spotting becoming less noticeable as the temperatures increase.
Measurements:
Length: 21cm
Wingspan: 37-42cm
Weight: 75-90g
What they eat:
Starlings will feed on almost anything from kitchen scraps to mealworms, they will also feed on seed mixes, suet and fat balls.
Where and when to see them
Starlings prefer to habitat in open country landscapes, but will also frequent woodlands, parks, gardens, farmland, hedgerows, towns and cities.
Bird Calls
Starlings have a varied and complex song, and may copy sounds from their surroundings, including car alarms and human speech.
