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 …
Category Archive: Sturnidae
Dec 31 2011
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 …
Dec 31 2011
What attracts birds to newly mown pasture? Decouplingthe action of mowing from the provision of short swards
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 …
Dec 31 2011
Spring temperatures and laying dates of first eggs of three passerines in Croatia
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 17 abstract This study is based on the spring temperaturesand laying dates of first eggs of threepasserines (sedentary: Great Tit, Parus majorand Tree Sparrow, Passer montanus; migratory:Starling, Sturnus vulgaris). Laying datesof first eggs were used as estimates of timingof breeding. The term ‘laying date’ is definedas the date of laying …
Dec 31 2011
Nest hole age decreases nest site attractiveness for the European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris).
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 14 abstract I studied whether the European Starling Sturnus vulgaris has a preference for a particularage of their nesting hole in an old deciduous forest in Central Poland. I documented theprobabilitythat Starlings bred in natural holes (excavated byGreat Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major) of a known age in consecutive seasons. Occupation rates …
Dec 31 2011
The effect of sward height and drainage on Common Starlings Sturnus vulgaris and Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus foraging in grassland habitats
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Science Article 16 abstract Agricultural change is often cited as a causal factor in the decline of the UK’s farmland birds because bird declines have mirrored changes in agricultural practices. Although much is known about the mechanisms driving population declines on arable systems, mechanisms in grassland systems are relatively poorly studied, despite …
Dec 31 2011
Temporal and sequential organization of song bouts in the Starling
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 …
Dec 31 2011
Conspecific nest parasitism in the European Starling
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 …
Dec 27 2011
Female starlings adjust primary sex ratio in response to aromatic plants in the nest
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) Science Article 1 abstract Adjustment of offspring sex ratios should be favoured by natural selection when parents are capable of facultatively altering brood sex ratios and of recognizing the circumstances that predict the probable fitness benefit of producing sons and daughters. Although experimental studies have shown that female birds may adjust …
Dec 27 2011
Biometrics and sex identification of the Rose-Coloured Starling Sturnus roseus
Rose-coloured Starling (Pastor roseus) Science Article 1 abstract Biometric and plumage data on breeding Rose-coloured Starlings Sturnus roseus showed that the species is partially sexually dimorphic in size and plumage colour. Both sexes develop a brood patch, although it is most frequently found in females. Although males are generally more intensely coloured than females, there …
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