What do starlings eat? How do you differentiate between males and females or even the young animals? We answer these and other questions about starlings in our large species portrait.
The common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is an everyday bird in the truest sense of the word. Not only is it a frequent visitor to our parks and gardens, it is also one of the most widespread and common bird species in the world. Its dazzling plumage, large song repertoire and elegant swarm formations make it a real "star" among songbirds. However, all of that could change soon. Because the stocks of the starling have been declining sharply for several decades. Due to the increasing intensification of agricultural land and the use of pesticides, the starling is gradually losing its habitat and food source. In the meantime, the species has even been classified as “endangered” on the Red List in Germany. To draw attention to this dramatic development, the star was voted "Bird of the Year 2022".
Profile on the star
| Size | About 21 - 22 cm |
| Weight | About 70 - 90 g |
| Incubation | March - June |
| Lifetime | About 3 years |
| Habitat | Grassland or lawns with adjacent tall trees |
| Food Preference | Worms, Spiders, Insects |
| Threats | Agricultural intensification and pesticide use |
How to recognize the star
The appearance of the star can vary greatly depending on the light. From a distance and in shady places, the starling appears at first glance to be a simple, black bird with a yellow beak, and can therefore easily be mistaken for a blackbird. But if you take a second look, you will quickly see the difference: the starling's plumage is covered with white speckles and shimmers in metallic green, blue and violet tones in the sun. The shape of the starling is also rathershort-tailed and lacks the typical hopping locomotion of blackbirds. In flight, the starling is also easily recognized by its pointed wings.
In fact, the star owns two different feather dresses that he shows off depending on the season. In spring it shows itself in a noble, black plumage with colored shimmers, pale, light spots and a bright yellow beak tip. In winter, on the other hand, he wears the so-called plain dress, which has a more grey-brown touch, a dark beak and strongly pronounced, light spots.
What does the star's singing sound like?
The star is an extremely creative singer. Its varied song consists of loud, drawn-out whistles, chattering elements and a range of fabulous imitations - voices of other birds, such as magpies or birds of prey, the noises surrounding them and even the ringing of mobile phones. In addition, the starling has numerous other bird calls, such as the hoarse warning call at the nest: "Stääh".
You can listen to the star's vocals here:
What does a young star look like?
Young starlings are not nearly as magnificent as their parents. Free-flying young birds are already distinguished by the finished size and shape of the starlings and the long, pointed beak. This is dark in color and therefore matches the monotonous grey-brown plumage. However, the young starlings quickly change into the adult plumage and already show fully colored plumage in the first winter.
How do you recognize the star's balls?
The female lays four to eight light green to light blue, unicolored eggs about 3 centimeters in size. These are embedded in a loose nest of dry stalks, leaves and roots, which is padded with fresh greenery, feathers and animal hair. Woven herbs are also particularly popular, the essential oils of which serve as a natural defense against mites and bacteria and thus promote successful rearing of the young animals.
What is the difference between male and female starlings?
The difference between males and females is only visible in the starlings in the breeding plumage. While the males show a dark, shiny metallic chest, the females have a few bright spots. In addition, the females have a uniformly yellow beak with a slightly lightening base, while theMales have a distinct grey-blue base of bill.
Where do the birds live?
The distribution area of the star extends over large parts of Europe and Asia to north-western Mongolia. The species was also introduced into North America, where it inhabits almost the entire continent, in small parts of South Africa and South Australia and in New Zealand. Starlings use a wide range of semi-open habitats, such as open forests, cultivated landscapes, settlements and even city centers. Areas with short grass for foraging and trees with caves or other nesting sites are important to them.
Where and how does the starling build its nest?
As a cave breeder, the starling prefers to build its nest in natural tree cavities. In adapting to human habitats, however, today it also uses a number of other cave-like structures, such as building niches or nesting boxes. The male begins building the nest to attract a female. Once a pair has found each other, they complete the nest together.
When do starlings hatch?
Females lay their eggs between mid and late April. This is followed by an incubation period of 11 to 13 days. After hatching, the young birds develop in their nests for three weeks and are fed by their parents around the clock during this time. After that they leave the nest and are fed by the adult animals for some time. Although the females usually only rear one clutch per season, it is not uncommon for the males to look for a second partner to start another brood with.
What do starlings do in winter?
Our native starlings spend the winter in the warm Mediterranean region, but they are one of the first species to return to their breeding grounds as early as February. Nevertheless, starlings can also be observed in Germany in winter. These are then mainly winter guests from more northern regions. Although starlings breed in pairs, the rest of the year they travel in large flocks of up to several thousand individuals. They are particularly well-known for their synchronized flight maneuvers, which create fascinating swarm formations.
How to support the starling in the garden
The progressive loss of habitat, food and nesting opportunities means that starlings are alwaysmore dependent on our support. By promoting structurally rich cultural landscapes and less intensively used agricultural areas, one automatically supports the protection of starlings. If you would like to help in a more targeted way and would like to offer the native songbirds a home in your own garden, you will find concrete options here.
What do starlings eat?
Starlings feed mainly on worms, spiders, insects and snails, which they look for in short grass. However, they also use berries, fruits and seeds and are therefore real "omnivores". If you want to feed something in winter, you don't need to buy any special food. The songbirds use normal soft food mixtures, nuts and fruit. Our Plantura all-season bird food, for example, contains lots of rich seeds, berries and even mealworms, making it ideal for feeding starlings. It is also suitable for year-round feeding thanks to its extra charge of proteins, an addition of feed lime and the components suitable for the beak.
If possible, the lining should be placed in such a way that it is protected from rain and the birds cannot sit in it and soil it with their droppings. You can find more practical tips on building, placing and cleaning a bird feeder in our special article on the subject of building a bird feeder yourself.
Which nest box is suitable for the starling?
As cavity breeders, starlings prefer fully cavity nest boxes with a small, round entrance hole of 45 mm in diameter. These artificial nesting aids are surprisingly well received by the colorful birds, so building a star box really pays off. You can find everything you need to know about the right wood, the correct positioning and simple assembly instructions in our special article on the subject of “Building a nest box yourself”.
How can you support him?
If you want to provide enough food in summer as well as winter feeding, you can promote the natural range of insects and small animals in your garden. This can be done with a number of bird-friendly plants as well as a he althy soil climate. Since starlings like to forage for worms and other small animals in the soil, an active bottom fauna is important for the brilliant singers. With the help of our Plantura organic soil activator, you can give your garden he althy soil lifebreathe in and thus not only do something good for your plants in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way, but also offer lots of small garden visitors a living space.
On hot days, starlings are also happy about a refreshment option in the form of a bird bath or a bird bath. Both can easily be constructed from a trivet or a flat bowl, because there is no real difference between the two objects. With this you are also doing something good for all other garden birds, such as the blackcap or the chiffchaff.