How to Identify the European Starling

The European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is not a native North American bird. In the 1890s a flock of 100 was released in New York's Central Park by a group who wanted to introduce the birds mentioned in Shakespeare's plays to North America. The 200 million starlings today are all their offspring. But their similarity to blackbirds and cowbirds can make them tricky to identify, so here are some tips.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Binoculars
• Bird identification book

1. Evaluate the bird's coloring. The typical European starling is shiny black in color with shimmering purple highlights. The eyes are a very dark brown while the legs are a reddish-brown. If the undertail feathers are visible, note that they may have a white edge.

2. Observe the bird's shape and size. The starling is a 8 to 9 inch tall stocky black bird with a pointed bill with a wingspan of 12 to 16 inches. The wings are pointed and triangular in shape and Its short tail is square on the end.

3. Listen for the bird's song. The song of the starling can be misleading as it often mimics the cry of other birds. Generally its song is a series of whistled tones and rattle sounds.

4. Be aware of the bird's location or habitat. As anyone with a bird feeder can attest, starling are very common birds in the whole United States and often appear in large flocks. They are not particular about habitat, as long as there is a food source, and will make their nests almost anywhere using a wide variety of available materials.

5. Note the time of year the bird is being observed. During the spring mating season the bill of the starling changes from a dark brown to yellow. In fall, spots of white can be observed over the head and body.

Tips & Warnings

• Male and female starlings look alike, but there are some extremely subtle differences. In some cases the male may be larger. Other differences can in the color of the lower mandible during mating periods. The female's has a slight pinkish tone while the male's is a blue-gray.
• Young starlings, while the same shape as the parents, have different coloring. They are a gray-brown color. During the fall molting season they will appear to have patches of black and gray over their bodies.