WINGSCAPES

Dangerous Beauty

If it weren’t for the fact that, as an introduced invasive species, the European Starling is such a threat to many native North American birds, we may very well consider them beautiful. Glossy black highlighted with iridescent blues, purples, and greens in summer, and speckled with a white “star field” pattern against a black background in winter, these birds are remarkable for the plumages they display all through the year.

Sadly, as European Starlings displace native species such as Wood Ducks, Northern Flickers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Tree Swallows, and Eastern Bluebirds from their nesting areas, they are dangerous beauties indeed.

BirdCam Pictures from Oregon

Deb from Gresham, Oregon sent in these great shots of young European Starlings begging to be fed by a a parent as well as a Northern Flicker feeding on an upper suet block in order to use the lower part of the feeder as a tail prop.

Thanks Deb!

Coolest Starling Photo Ever

So, Bart has me testing out a camera prototype and I got the coolest photo of a starling!  I know, I know what you're thinking, "Sharon, you over estimate a person's interest in starlings."

Perhaps.

But, when I worked at a bird store, I can't tell you the number of people who would come in with blurred photos in the winter of a "cool, new bird" at their feeders.  Oh, how their faces would fall when they were told it was just a starling.  When starlings are in winter plumge, the tips of their feathers have a white spot and theil bills turn black.  Throughout the winter the spots will wear off and by spring, the bill will be yellow again.  This time of year they're kind of cool looking in an evil villan kind of way.