Starlings are one of the most numereous birds in the world and extremely gregarious. Outside the breeding season they gather in flocks of hundred of thousands of birds. This quality adds up to one of natures most spectacular views, Starlings flying in a flock. One of the reasons Sturnus vulgaris exhibits this behavior is to […]
Tag: Starling
Kinematics and mechanics of ground take-off in the starling Sturnis vulgaris and the quail Coturnix coturnix .
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 4 abstract The mechanics of avian take-off are central to hypotheses about flight evolution, but have not been quantified in terms of whole-body movements for any species. In this study, I use a combination of high-speed video analysis and force plate recording to measure the kinematics and mechanics of ground […]
Host responses against natural and experimental conspecific brood parasitism in the Starling Sturnus vulgaris.
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 15 abstract Intraspecific brood parasitism in the Starling Sturnus vulgaris was studied inCentralNorway. Before clutch initiation, Starlings recognise and remove parasitic conspecific eggs but are usually not able to do so after they have started to lay eggs themselves. The frequency of natural parasitism was 10%. Since ejection of the […]
The population decline of the starling, Sturnus vulgaris, in GreatBritain: patterns and causes
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 9 abstract Although the starling has the capacity for explosive population growth, its population in Britain has declined bytwo-thirds over the last 40 years. Here we summarize a major study (Crick et al., 2002) which investigates the reasons for this.The starling is commonest in urban and farmland habitats, though density […]
Population trends of the Finnish starling Sturnus vulgaris, 1952-1998, as inferred from annual ringing totals
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 3 abstract Finnish starling populations have declined, a phenomenon first noted towards the end of the 1970s. Here we use national ringing totals to estimate changes in the starling population. However, the numbers ringed depend not only on the population size but also on yearly variations in ringing activities. Thus, […]
Predator detection and avoidance by starlingsunder differing scenarios of predation risk
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 5 abstract Practically all animals must find food while avoiding predators. An individual’s perception of predation risk may depend on manyfactors, such as distance to refuge and group size, but it is unclear whether individuals respond to different factors in a similarmanner. We tested whether flocks of foraging starlings responded […]
The implications of nest site competition from starlings Sturnus vulgaris and the effect of spring temperatures on the timing and breeding performance of great spotted woodpeckers
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 2 abstract A long-term study of the breeding success of an increasing population of great spotted woodpeckers in southern England has shown that nest survival has increased dramatically and the nesting season advanced over the last 20 years. Nest site interference by starlings was frequently observed in the early years […]
The potential of particular starlings (Sturnidae) as indicators of habitat change
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 11 abstract The starlings (Sturnidae) represent a highly successful and adaptable passerine family. Several sturnids, predominantly open country species, have been introduced into new geographic areas through human agency, and some have become pests in the new range. In this context, we investigated habitat use in a typical open habitat […]
Range expansion of the European Starling Sturnus vulgaris in Argentina
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 18 abstract The European or Common Starling Sturnusvulgaris is considered one of the worst invasivebird species, with successful widespreadintroductions around the world (Feare, 1984).Most releases were made in the nineteenth andearly twentieth centuries and the species hasnow become one of the commonest birds inNew Zealand, south-eastern Australia, SouthernAfrica, as well […]
Studies of song behavior in European starlings: interrelationshipsamong testosterone, neuroanatomy and immune function
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 7 abstract Female starlings pair preferentially with males that produce song organized into long bouts. Females exhibitimmediate early gene responses in the auditory forebrain that are biased towards longer bout songs. In male starlings, lengthof song bout correlates with variation in the volume of two key brain areas controlling song […]