Planet of Birds

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 12 abstract Temporal analysis of Starling song revealed that males sing very long and complex song bouts, some extending over one minute and containing over ninety song bouts. Starlings sing with immediate variety. There are clear differences in average bout length and in singing rate between males. Starling song bouts […]

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 8 abstract European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) mix fresh herbs, preferably species rich in volatile compounds, into their drynest material. By investigating air samples from starling nest boxes, we found that nestlings and their parasites encountervolatile compounds such as sabinene, myrcene, limonene, phelandrene and ocimene, some of them with medicinal properties.We […]

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 10 abstract European starlings are well known for their rich and varied social life. Recent studies reveal a social organizationbased on same-sex preferences, spatial proximity and vocal sharing in captive groups. Much less is known about socialcognition and the possible role of social experience on the development of cognitive abilities. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 6 abstract Many bird species flock to forage on newly mown grass swards. Several potential benefitsare offered by such swards, including increases in prey availability (flush of foliar prey,reduced physical obstruction to surface and soil prey) and a foraging environment withfewer visual obstructions, so allowing predators to be detected more […]

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 13 abstract From 1983 to 1988 we monitored 260 European Starling Sturnus vulgaris nests in three nestbox colonies around Antwerp (Belgium), for evidence for conspecific nest parasitism. Altogether 15% of 174 first clutches and 2% of 86 intermediate clutches were parasitized. The yearly proportion of first clutches with parasitic eggs […]