Sunday 23 August 2009

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

OTHER NAMES: Starling
Latin Etymology: Sturnus ("starling") vulgaris ("common")

Adult European Starling (subspecies S. v. vulgaris) at Kensington Gardens, London - March 2010

Featured Subspecies: Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris
Weight: 75g  /  Length: 22cm  /  Wingspan: 31-44cm
UK RED LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Starling is a very common bird, despite beginning to decline in the UK. It is bold, and will frequently scavenge food in car-parks, outdoor cafes or wherever it can find it. Realistically, it should be one of the easiest of all birds to photograph, although for particular close up views I seem to have had the best luck near water for some reason.  They are one of our most communal birds, and often travel in small flocks.

Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sturnidae
Genus: Sturnus
Subspecies: S. v. granti, S. v. vulgaris, S. v. faroensis, S. v. zetlandicus, S. v. tauricus, S. v. purpurascens, S. v. caucasicus, S. v. nobilior, S. v. poltaratskyi, S. v. porphyronotus, S. v. humii, S. v. minor    

- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - Abundant resident (804,000 territories)
 - Birds seen commonly at a large number of sites, including but not limited to Geddington, Rutland WaterKensington GardensPitsford Reservoir and Ditchford Gravel Pits
ITALY - Italian - Storno comune ("Common Starling")
An fairly common resident in Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily.
 - SICILY 2018 TRIP -  Fairly throughout.
SPAIN - Spanish - Estornino pinto ("Painted Starling")
Winter visitor
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: A number seen around Seville.
UNITED STATES 
Common introduced species throughout.
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Francisco and Berkeley

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