| Photo Information |
Copyright: Marius Secan (marius-secan)
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 205 W: 0 N: 485]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-n-g.gif) (1647) |
| Genre: Animals |
| Medium: Color |
| Date Taken: 2009-08-08 |
| Categories: Birds |
| Exposure: f/6.3, 1/250 seconds |
| More Photo Info: [view] |
| Photo Version: Original Version |
| Date Submitted: 2009-11-09 11:28 |
| Viewed: 160 |
| Points: 12 |
|
| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
EUROPEAN STARLING,JUVENILE,(STURNUS VULGARIS)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
The European Starling, Common Starling or just Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a passerine bird in the family Sturnidae.
This species of starling is native to most of temperate Europe and western Asia. It is resident in southern and western Europe and southwestern Asia, while northeastern populations migrate south and west in winter to these regions, and also further south to areas where it does not breed in Iberia and north Africa. It has also been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South Africa.
There are several subspecies of the European Starling, which vary in the iridescence of adult plumage. With gradual variation over geographic range and extensive intergradation, the subspecies are said to be clinal.
It is among the most familiar of birds in temperate regions. It is 19–22 cm long, with a wingspan of 37–42 cm and a weight of 60–90 g. The plumage is shiny black, glossed purple or green, and spangled with white, particularly strongly so in winter. Adult male European Starlings are less spotted below than adult females. The throat feathers are long and loose, and used as a signal in display. Juveniles are grey-brown, and by their first winter resemble adults though often retain some brown juvenile feathering especially on the head in the early part of the winter. The legs are stout, pinkish-red. The bill is narrow conical with a sharp tip; in summer, it is yellow in females, and yellow with a blue-grey base in males, while in winter, and in juveniles, it is black in both sexes.
European Starlings prefer urban or suburban areas where artificial structures and trees provide adequate nesting and roosting sites. They also commonly reside in grassy areas where foraging is easy—such as farmland, grazing pastures, playing fields, golf courses, and airfields.
The European Starling is insectivorous, and typically consumes insects including caterpillars, moths, and cicadas, as well as spiders,millipedes, centipedes,slugs, and small lizards . While the consumption of invertebrates is necessary for successful breeding, starlings are omnivorous and can also eat grains, seeds, fruits, nectars, and garbage, if the opportunity arises.Unpaired males begin to build nests in order to attract single females. Males often decorate the nest with ornaments (such as flowers) and fresh green material which the female later disassembles upon accepting him as a mate.
The males sing throughout much of the construction and even more so when a female approaches his nest. Following copulation, the male and female continue to build the nest. Common nesting locations include inside hollowed trees, buildings, tree stumps, and man-made nest-boxes.
The breeding season begins in early spring and summer.Following copulation, female European Starlings will lay an egg on a daily basis over a period of several days. If an egg is lost during this time period, she will lay another egg to replace it.
Incubation lasts 13 days, although the last egg laid may take 24 hours longer than the first to hatch.Pairs can raise up to three broods per breeding season, frequently reusing and relining the same nest.
The European Starling is a hole-nesting species and will nest in just about any cavity it finds. It has affected native species where it has been introduced because of competition for nest sites. For example, in North America, the Purple Martin is now widely dependent on artificial nest houses put up by humans, which must be protected from colonization by European Starlings. |
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