BIOLOGY - STARLING
Appearance
Glossy black with metallic green or purple tints. In winter the body feathers become tipped in white giving speckled appearance. Juveniles brown until autumn
Breeding
Nests in holes in trees or buildings, loft spaces etc. Made from grass, lined with feathers, wool or moss. More materials can be piled on top of a previous year's nest, so become large and untidy where space not limited. Area round nest entrance streaked with white droppings.
4-5 pale blue eggs
Incubation 12-15 days
Fledge 3 wks
Maybe 2 broods (early April, mid May)
Typical lifespan 5 yrs.
Feeding
Spring insects - usually on ground in grass fields
Summer insects, soft fruit
Winter invertebrates, stubble roots, stock foods, scraps
Gregarious - roosts may be tens of thousands
In trees, on buildings, bridges, pylons etc
Fly up to 50 Km to feed
