European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris): The Social and Fascinating Bird

A European Starling in breeding plumage, showing its green and purple iridescence and yellow bill. — The European Starling reveals a spectacularly iridescent plumage in the right light.

Introduction to the European Starling

The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) often gets a bad rap as a noisy and unwelcome guest. But beyond its brash reputation lies a truly remarkable bird. In winter, its plumage is a sleek black speckled with gold, which transforms into a stunning iridescent coat of emerald and violet in the spring sunlight. The starling's most breathtaking feature, however, is the 'murmuration'—a massive, shape-shifting cloud of thousands of birds moving as one across the sky. While they can be loud neighbors, their dramatic appearance and unforgettable aerial ballets make them one of the most spectacular garden birds you can see.

Our Ornithologist's Advice

By the Les-Oiseaux.com team, published on June 28, 2025

My advice: The Starling is a very social bird that loves dust baths and noisy gatherings. To attract it to your garden, provide an open lawn and leave a corner of bare soil; it will gladly use it to clean its feathers.

You can also set up a few spacious nest boxes up high (with an entrance of about 45 mm or 1.75 inches) as it seeks cavities for nesting. Be aware that this is an opportunistic species: make sure your nest boxes are well-secured and placed away from other more sensitive species.

Identification: A Changing Plumage

Identifying a European Starling is straightforward, but its appearance changes dramatically with the seasons.

Winter vs. Breeding Plumage

In winter, its plumage is black with some gloss, but it is heavily speckled with small white or cream-colored spots, giving it a "starry" look. Its bill is dark, almost black. In the spring, the light tips of the feathers wear away, revealing a stunning breeding plumage: glossy black with intense green and purple iridescent sheens. The bill turns bright yellow. Females tend to be slightly less glossy than males, with a pinkish base on the lower mandible.

The Juvenile

A young starling looks very different. It has a uniform, drab grayish-brown plumage with no iridescence and a dark bill. They are often seen in noisy flocks after leaving the nest.

Size and Build

Length: Approx. 7.9-9.1 in (20-23 cm).
Wingspan: Approx. 12.2-15.8 in (31-40 cm).
Weight: Approx. 2.1-3.4 oz (60-96 g).

It is a stocky bird with a short, square tail and pointed, triangular wings that are very noticeable in flight.

Scientific Dimensions and Records (Starling)

Characteristic	Male	Female	Record / Average
Length	20 – 23 cm	20 – 23 cm	20 – 23 cm (adults)
Weight	55 – 101 g	55 – 101 g	55 – 101 g (adults)
Wingspan	31 – 44 cm	31 – 44 cm	31 – 44 cm
Flight speed	48 – 80 km/h	48 – 80 km/h	Up to 80 km/h
Life expectancy	2 – 3 years	2 – 3 years	Up to 22 years

These figures confirm the Starling as a medium-sized passerine bird, known for its iridescent plumage and adaptability.

Behavior: Flocks and Murmurations

The most captivating aspect of the starling is undoubtedly its social behavior.

A huge flock of starlings forming a murmuration in the sky at dusk. — Murmurations are aerial ballets that can involve hundreds of thousands of starlings.

Murmurations

In the late afternoon, especially in the fall and winter, starlings gather in vast flocks to head to their roosts. Before settling down, they perform incredibly complex and fluid synchronized flights, known as "murmurations." These shifting clouds of birds serve both to protect against predators (like the Peregrine Falcon) and to exchange information.

A Highly Social Bird

Starlings live in groups year-round. They forage, travel, and roost together. This social nature is key to their success in finding food and ensuring their safety.

Habitat & Distribution

The European Starling is a highly adaptable species that has conquered a wide variety of environments. It thrives in both rural areas (fields, pastures) and urban environments (parks, backyards, industrial zones). It seeks open feeding areas and nesting sites (cavities in trees, buildings, or nest boxes). While native to Europe and much of Asia, it was successfully introduced to North America, Australia, and South Africa, where it is often considered an invasive species.

Distribution Map

The map below illustrates the vast distribution of the European Starling, including its breeding and wintering grounds, as well as regions where it has been introduced by humans.

Resident

Breeding Range

Non-breeding Range

Passage

Diet

The starling is an opportunistic omnivore, which largely explains its success. Its diet varies with the season. In spring and summer, it is a major consumer of insects and larvae (like crane fly larvae and grubs), which it finds by probing the ground with its bill. This makes it a helpful controller of pests on lawns. In the fall and winter, it shifts to fruits (cherries, apples, grapes, ivy berries) and seeds, and will readily visit backyard feeders for suet and seeds.

Nesting & Reproduction

The starling is a cavity-nesting bird. It builds its nest in a cavity: a hole in an old tree, a crevice in a wall, under roof tiles, or in a birdhouse. The nest is a bulky structure of dry grass, straw, and twigs, lined with feathers, wool, and softer materials. The female lays 4 to 6 pale blue, unmarked eggs. Incubation lasts about 12 days, and both parents feed the young, who fledge after about 3 weeks. They often raise two broods per year.

The Song: A Complex and Melodious Repertoire

The Common Starling is far from silent; it is a very vocal bird throughout the year. Its song is a long, complex phrase, composed of a mixture of whistles, warbles, clicks, and creaking or metallic notes. Renowned for its skills as a mimic, it is capable of incorporating the songs of other bird species, such as the oriole or the buzzard, and even sounds from its environment, like telephone rings or alarms, into its repertoire. The male primarily uses this elaborate song during courtship to attract a female, often while vibrating his wings, but it also serves to maintain contact within their large, gregarious groups.

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Status in North America: An Invasive Species

The relationship between starlings and people in North America is complicated. In their native Europe, some populations have declined, but in North America, they are a widespread and unprotected invasive species.

Descended from about 100 birds released in the 1890s, the starling population has exploded, causing significant problems for native wildlife and agriculture. To understand the full story of their introduction and the ecological damage they cause, particularly to birds like bluebirds and woodpeckers, it is essential to view them through this lens. For a deep dive into this topic, read our detailed guide on why the European Starling is an invasive species.

For additional resources on their status, the National Audubon Society provides a comprehensive profile.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Common Starling

How can you recognize a Common Starling?

The Common Starling is a medium-sized bird, often mistaken for a blackbird. However, it can be distinguished by its black plumage with green and purple metallic sheens, speckled with white spots in winter. It has a short tail, triangular wings, and a yellow bill in the spring (with a bluish base for males and a pinkish base for females), which turns darker in the winter. Juveniles are a more uniform grey-brown.

What do Common Starlings eat?

They are omnivorous and opportunistic birds. Their diet varies with the seasons and location. They primarily feed on insects and their larvae, earthworms, spiders, slugs, and snails, which they find by probing the ground. They also consume fruits (cherries, grapes), berries, and seeds.

Is the starling's song distinctive?

Yes, the Common Starling is renowned for its complex song and its remarkable ability to mimic. Its repertoire includes a variety of whistles, clicks, and creaks, and it can incorporate the calls of other birds as well as sounds from its environment, such as telephone rings.

Do Common Starlings migrate?

They are partial migrants. Populations from northern and eastern Europe migrate south and west for the winter, reaching Western Europe and North Africa. However, populations in Western Europe, especially in urban areas, are often sedentary.

Why do starlings gather in such large flocks?

The starling is a highly gregarious species, living in groups year-round except during the nesting season. These gatherings, called "murmurations," can include thousands of individuals and form spectacular aerial displays. This behavior offers protection against predators and makes it easier to find food and roosting spots for the night.

Is the Common Starling a pest species?

It can be considered a pest in certain situations. In large numbers, starlings can cause significant damage to orchards and crops. In urban areas, their acidic droppings can damage buildings and monuments, and their roosting gatherings can be very noisy. However, they also play a useful role by controlling insect populations.

Where do Common Starlings build their nests?

They are cavity-nesting birds, meaning they nest in holes. They use holes in old trees, crevices in walls, old woodpecker holes, and readily accept nest boxes provided by humans. The female lays 4 to 6 pale blue eggs.

What is the lifespan of a Common Starling?

In the wild, the average lifespan of a Common Starling is around 15 years.