European Starling

​

Is the Starling a Shakespearean muse or a pest?  Folklore has it that Mr. Schieffelin was a Shakespearean enthusiast and wanted to bring all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s writings to the United States.  He did indeed release 40 pairs of European starlings into New York City twice in the springs of 1890 and 1891.  However recent digging into his past can find no connection between him and Shakespeare.  So while the connection is not there, the folklore will probably go on forever!  Farmers view the bird as a pest that eats crops and spreads disease.  This is somewhat factual but usually overstated as well.

The Starling is a stocky black bird with short tails, triangular wings and long, pointed bills.  Covered in white spots during winter, they turn dark and glossy in summer.   They don’t actually shed feathers but grow new feathers in the fall with bold white tips.  By spring, these spots have worn away.   The birds are great vocal mimics able to learn the calls of up to 20 different species.  Some examples of birds they often copy are Killdeer, Meadowlarks. Wood Thrush, Red-tailed Hawks, Robins and many others.  They can fly at up to speed of 48 mph.

Starlings will eat nearly anything, but focus on insects and other invertebrates when available, such as beetles, flies, caterpillars, snails, earthworms and spiders.    They will also eat fruits, grains, seeds livestock feed and garbage.

Males choose the nesting site and use it to attract females.  3-6 eggs are usually laid with both sexes incubating the eggs for 12 days.  Once hatched, the babies will remain in the nest for 21-23 days.  When hatched the babies are helpless with sparse grayish down with eyes that stay closed for 6-7 days.

Once I had selected this bird for this month, it just so happened that the New York Times newspaper did a two-page spread on the European Starling with studies done by university professors regarding the Shakespeare tale.  It was quite a surprise!