Like the English Sparrow, the Common Starling has become a Naturalized
American Citizen. He was introduced from Europe in 1890, when sixty of
his kind were released in Central Park, New York City. He is a very
permanent resident wherever he has spread, and, because of the fact that
he often ousts local or native birds, he is somewhat objectionable.
Song: The song of the Starling has many attractive notes. The whistles
are especially appreciated by city dwellers who seldom hear the
songs of more gifted birds. An indescribable jumble of notes
characterizes the remainder of the Starling's musical efforts.
William H. Hudson has written a very good description of this
bird's song--"His merit lies less in the quality of the sounds he
utters than in their endless variety. In a leisurely way he will
sometimes ramble on for an hour, whistling and warbling very
agreeably, mingling his finer notes with chatterings, squealings
and sounds as of snapping the fingers."
Nest: The Starling will build in crevices of buildings, in hollow trees
or in bird houses erected for the use of other birds. The nesting
material consists of grasses, straw, twigs and other available
material. The eggs, four to six in number, are of a pale bluish
color.
Food: The Starling eats a great number of insects. Cultivated cherries,
unfortunately, also, are very well liked by the bird who feeds
upon them quite often during the breeding season.
Remarks: The plumage of the male Starling is quite beautiful. It is of
an irridescent, metallic color in the spring and summer. In the
winter, a brownish gray obscures the more brilliant colors. The
bill of the bird is yellow in summer, but dark horn-color in
winter.
[Illustration: _Starling--8½ inches_]