When Shakespeare wrote the play Henry the Fourth in 1597, he had no way of knowing the trouble it would bring to North American birds in the 20th century.
Somewhere in the play Shakespeare made an innocent reference to the starling. This reference led to the release of 60 starlings in New York’s Central Park in 1890. Members of a New York literary society wanted all birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s works brought to North America. The transplant took. Starlings were well adapted to life in America’s cities and farms. In a mere 60 years the European starling had spread across the continent.
These unwelcoming immigrants are the neighborhood bullies of the bird community. Starlings nest in holes or cavities like woodpeckers, bluebirds and many of our other native birds. A woodpecker may spend hours pecking a hole only to be evicted by a gang of starling thugs.
But even these bad-guy birds have a positive side. Starlings consume many lawn and garden pests.
One thing’s for certain : With more than 200 million starlings in North America, they are here to stay. Blame it on Shakespeare.
All About European Starlings
- Stocky, short-tailed birds, European starlings are distinguished from other black birds by their distinctive chunky shape.
- They are both an omnivorous bird that monopolizes backyard suet feeders and a ground-foraging insectivore that has strong muscles that open their bill (most other birds have strong muscles to close their bills).
- Their nests are built in cavities, often crannies in buildings and signs, but also in woodpecker holes and nest boxes.
- A clutch has 3-6 eggs, and incubation lasts about 12 days. Young fledge in 21-23 days, and there are 1-2 broods per year.
Find out more about the European starling with MDC’s Field Guide.
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