I want to apologize for having taken so long to post any new entries... I'm going to finish up with local birds & other wildlife soon, and then take a walk down memory lane and revisit all of the interesting and amazing creatures I've seen in Arizona!
For now, I want to share this amazing video of Starlings flocking in their native Ireland.
Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.
Showing posts with label starling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label starling. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
European Starling
[Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris]
The European Starling, or the Common Starling, is a very interesting bird indeed! Common throughout Europe and Asia, seeing these guys at my feeder is an honor, that allegedly never would've been possible if it weren't for William Shakespeare.
In 1877 the American Acclimatization Society introduced several species of native European birds to New York City, with varying degrees of success. It is said that they hoped to introduce all of the birds in Shakespeare's writings to America, including House Sparrows, Pheasants, and Blackbirds. One of their most successful achievements, though, are these very adaptable Starlings.
A group of Starlings is called a murmuration... You can spot a murmuration by it's spots! Speckled all over in white with a dark beak, Starlings are about 7 - 9 inches long with a wingspan of about 14 - 16 inches. Juveniles are browner, but develop their dark glossy feathers quickly.
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