Day 148: Sturnus vulgaris, aka the Common Starling, European Starling or English Starling, was introduced to North America in the late 1800s. Some accounts (possibly apocryphal) attest that they were brought into the US in an attempt to populate the nation with every species of bird found in the writings of William Shakespeare; what we do know for certain is that the first successful releases were of roughly 60 birds in New York and another 35 in Oregon. Their numbers have now multiplied to the millions across the country, causing Sturnus vulgaris to be listed as an invasive species. While they were initially believed to be helpful in reducing insect infestations on crops, now they may be re-evaluated as contributing to the decline in insect populations where they occur.
That said, the little buggers are ... well, "pretty" is too benign a term for a pest, so let's call them "cute." During the breeding season, the coruscating sheen of their purple-black feathers is broken up by white flecks (more pronounced on females). Their legs are pink, their beaks yellow in mating season. They are accomplished mimics, although their usual chatter is noisy and tuneless, and they waddle when they walk. It's been difficult for me to get a good photo of one because here, they've learned that human presence in the person of one of my neighbours means a substantial, shotgun-effected reduction in their numbers, making them quite skittish and flighty at the sound of an opening door. I had a split second to make this "field guide" shot before the little lady took off for the high hills.
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