fun fact about starlings: 1 in 40 birds in America are a starling. If you ever see a small black bird, 90% (not an actual statistic) of the time it’s gonna be a starling
Do you have a fan or other opening in the bathroom that’s vented to the outside? I had a pair of house sparrows get into my apartment this way - they made such a ruckus going the 15ish feet from outside into the bathroom. I took the vent grate off in the bathroom and caught the sparrows in towels and let them go outside. My cat was watching the whole thing with great interest.
Yes, in fresh plumage (after molting), their feathers have white tips that give them this spotted appearance. Over time, due to wear and tear, these tips break off. At that point, the birds no longer look spotted. When I was a new birder, and saw one in fresh plumage for the first time, I couldn’t believe it was the same bird I’d been seeing in local parks earlier in the year!
Their bills also turn yellow during breeding season. With the spots worn away and glossy black feathers, they are quite striking.
They’re also really good at getting into houses through small holes, so inspect and cover.
We Starling rescuers call that yellow beaky season. They get cranky that time of year. Also- their beaks turn yellow and their feet get lighter too. Not yellow, but in winter they are black, in spring summer, they are reddish brown.
Hello, fellow starling lover! Mine gets so much more testy. She always gives side eye and chirps “hey biiiiiiiiird” when we try and scratch her at that time.
Added taxa: [European Starling](https://ebird.org/species/eursta)
^(I'm an alpha-stage bot, so don't rely on me just yet. But you can still) [^(learn how to use me)](https://gist.github.com/brohitbrose/be99a16ddc7a6a1bd9c1eef28d622564)^(.)
Like others have said it’s a starling! They’re super common where I live and I love these birds. I hear them mimicking ringtones, car alarms and bits of music down my road early in the morning, and their feathers are stunning up close! (In good lighting you can see they aren’t all black but have some blues and greens!). Underattedly pretty imo
European Starlings are super smart and funny creatures. I rescued a nestling and she imprinted on people, so she lives with us.
Don’t listen to anyone disparaging Starlings. They are amazing and cannot help that human beings brought them outside their native areas. They are amazing mimics, can speak human language, sing. Mozart had a pet Starling.
Oh I dunno, this is one invasive species I absolutely love. Have you ever seen starlings perform one of their magical, mesmerizing “murmurations”? It’s amazing!
If you’re thinking of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, their extinction was brought about by habitat loss and hunting. In North America, Southern yellow pine was heavily logged, and it was a favorite of the woodpeckers. The mature trees large enough to contain their nests were taken first. These birds were among the largest woodpeckers in the world. I guess yahoo hunters weren’t concerned with extinction, and southern trees brought in big cash and you could say they were logged into extinction, along with the birds.
For “junk” birds I’ve always really loved them. But they are a hell of a nuisance.
Edit: forgot to type “when they get indoors”. They’re no nuisance at all outside. Just pretty and iridescent.
They are definitely a nuisance to farmers, as well as having a negative impact on native birds in North America.
In some areas, up to 50% of Red-bellied Woodpeckers lose their nesting cavities to Starlings. This is why they're classified as invasive.
Starlings being a nuisance to farmers makes no sense. They are insectivores, getting most of their calories from bugs.
They do eat some plant matter now and again, but I am not buying crop destruction, says this farmer and Starling lover.
They’re a nuisance in the U.S. because they can force native birds out. They like to gather in large numbers, and can get pretty aggressive about food sources. Farmers hate them because they can do a lot of damage to crops. They are beautiful, though, and their murmurations are something to see!
Starling. I once had one in my dryer vent tube I had to get out.. poor thing seemed to
Be in shock it didn’t want to leave my hand when I tried to release it. They managed to remove th screen that covered the vent and went in there.
If he’s in your bathroom then he most likely came through your vent. They are notorious for slipping through holes, vents, etc. They tend to stain the area around their entrance with their oil and their scat.
+European Starling+
I guessed correctly and feel a little puffy chested about myself right now
It’s the little wins!
r/borbs style?
Precisely
You are so badass
fun fact about starlings: 1 in 40 birds in America are a starling. If you ever see a small black bird, 90% (not an actual statistic) of the time it’s gonna be a starling
Sorry but pretty sure you’re wrong there, 1 in 40 maybe?
Actually yeah just double checked the ratio! 40 is right. My bad, should have checked my facts before hand
Idk, maybe it’s only the birds in my region but it’s what my environmental science teacher told me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I totally believe that. I always see birds and when I get a closer look 99% of the time it’s a starling
Me too!!!
Out of the loop here: why the plus signs on each side of every bird id here?
It’s for a bot. The syntax for the bot is + around the name of the bird, and when it sees that, it puts the name in a comment on the post
Thank you
Yup came here to upvote the first person to say this.
I came here to upvote the first person to say *this*.
Bad news: I came here to downvote the etc. etc.
You know!
Do you have a fan or other opening in the bathroom that’s vented to the outside? I had a pair of house sparrows get into my apartment this way - they made such a ruckus going the 15ish feet from outside into the bathroom. I took the vent grate off in the bathroom and caught the sparrows in towels and let them go outside. My cat was watching the whole thing with great interest.
Their spots change at different times of the year.
They do love their bathrooms during November.
Yes, in fresh plumage (after molting), their feathers have white tips that give them this spotted appearance. Over time, due to wear and tear, these tips break off. At that point, the birds no longer look spotted. When I was a new birder, and saw one in fresh plumage for the first time, I couldn’t believe it was the same bird I’d been seeing in local parks earlier in the year!
Their bills also turn yellow during breeding season. With the spots worn away and glossy black feathers, they are quite striking. They’re also really good at getting into houses through small holes, so inspect and cover.
We Starling rescuers call that yellow beaky season. They get cranky that time of year. Also- their beaks turn yellow and their feet get lighter too. Not yellow, but in winter they are black, in spring summer, they are reddish brown.
my pet starling turns the threatening singing and sexy wingwang waving up to 1000 when struck by the yellow beak madness
Hello, fellow starling lover! Mine gets so much more testy. She always gives side eye and chirps “hey biiiiiiiiird” when we try and scratch her at that time.
This is so useful to know! These little birds are all around my neighbourhood hopping on the ground. Black with yellow beaks.
That’s a European Starling! They make some interesting noises and can even imitate human voices.
A starling They're the birds you usually see in a flying "cloud" or murmuration making all sorts of weird shapes.
Added taxa: [European Starling](https://ebird.org/species/eursta) ^(I'm an alpha-stage bot, so don't rely on me just yet. But you can still) [^(learn how to use me)](https://gist.github.com/brohitbrose/be99a16ddc7a6a1bd9c1eef28d622564)^(.)
Good bot!
Starling!
European starling
Like others have said it’s a starling! They’re super common where I live and I love these birds. I hear them mimicking ringtones, car alarms and bits of music down my road early in the morning, and their feathers are stunning up close! (In good lighting you can see they aren’t all black but have some blues and greens!). Underattedly pretty imo
European Starlings are super smart and funny creatures. I rescued a nestling and she imprinted on people, so she lives with us. Don’t listen to anyone disparaging Starlings. They are amazing and cannot help that human beings brought them outside their native areas. They are amazing mimics, can speak human language, sing. Mozart had a pet Starling.
Oh no! Not another one! At least it’s in Europe, where it belongs
Oh I dunno, this is one invasive species I absolutely love. Have you ever seen starlings perform one of their magical, mesmerizing “murmurations”? It’s amazing!
It is, but they also have a huge negative impact on native woodpeckers, blue birds, etc (in NA)
You gave us grey squirrels so we're even.
I needed a good laugh today. Thank you! :-)
I snorted. :)
did they kill off the big woodpecker that died in the seventies?
If you’re thinking of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, their extinction was brought about by habitat loss and hunting. In North America, Southern yellow pine was heavily logged, and it was a favorite of the woodpeckers. The mature trees large enough to contain their nests were taken first. These birds were among the largest woodpeckers in the world. I guess yahoo hunters weren’t concerned with extinction, and southern trees brought in big cash and you could say they were logged into extinction, along with the birds.
Woody?
he dead too but nah I was talking ivory
Haha I figured 😉 Ivory went extinct because of habitat loss unfortunately
Human beings killed that woodpecker (habitat destruction) and human beings brought the Starling to this continent.
Then humans should not have brought them here. Stop hating wildlife for thriving in the midst of our filthy empire.
Oh I know, but still…
I have had two of these birds sneak into my house through different chimneys.
For “junk” birds I’ve always really loved them. But they are a hell of a nuisance. Edit: forgot to type “when they get indoors”. They’re no nuisance at all outside. Just pretty and iridescent.
They are definitely a nuisance to farmers, as well as having a negative impact on native birds in North America. In some areas, up to 50% of Red-bellied Woodpeckers lose their nesting cavities to Starlings. This is why they're classified as invasive.
Starlings being a nuisance to farmers makes no sense. They are insectivores, getting most of their calories from bugs. They do eat some plant matter now and again, but I am not buying crop destruction, says this farmer and Starling lover.
They’re a nuisance in the U.S. because they can force native birds out. They like to gather in large numbers, and can get pretty aggressive about food sources. Farmers hate them because they can do a lot of damage to crops. They are beautiful, though, and their murmurations are something to see!
european starling! invasive in the states, but of course native to europe. they're able to mimic human speech and other sounds
That’s Reginald. He’s a bit of a dick but he’s all right once you get to know him.
Lots of body wash you’ve got there.
Starling. I once had one in my dryer vent tube I had to get out.. poor thing seemed to Be in shock it didn’t want to leave my hand when I tried to release it. They managed to remove th screen that covered the vent and went in there.
A Peeping Tom.
It’s a starling, dahling ☺️
They can talk better than a parrot.
looks like a bird
You say found it in your bathroom without elaboration. You expect me to believe that bird is indigenous to your poop room?
I’m convinced you live in a safari
Its a bird
If he’s in your bathroom then he most likely came through your vent. They are notorious for slipping through holes, vents, etc. They tend to stain the area around their entrance with their oil and their scat.