European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Sturnidae
A stocky glossy-black bird flecked with iridescent purple and green — beautiful up close, ecologically damaging at scale. Starlings aggressively displace native cavity-nesting birds (bluebirds, woodpeckers, Great Crested Flycatchers) by evicting their eggs and killing their nestlings. Not protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
How to spot one.
7.5–9 inches — larger than a sparrow, smaller than a robin
Iridescent black with green and purple sheen (breeding)
Speckled with white spots (winter)
Yellow bill in breeding season, dark bill in winter
Short square tail; triangular wings in flight
What it sounds like.
A jumbled mix of whistles, rattles, and clicks — plus astonishing mimicry of other birds and mechanical sounds (car alarms, phone rings). Not to be admired: it's evidence of an invader that outcompetes gentler singers.
How it lives.
Extremely social; flocks in tens of thousands (murmurations). Cavity nester — aggressively takes over holes intended for bluebirds, Purple Martins, and woodpeckers. Massive flocks descend on grain fields and grape vineyards; agricultural damage is estimated at $800 million to $1 billion per year in the US.
The spec sheet.
- Status
- Non-native invasive
- Size
- 7.9–9.1 inches
- Present in NJ
- Year-round
- Native to NJ
- No — see origin
- Origin
- Native to Europe. Introduced to Central Park, New York, in 1890–91 by a Shakespeare enthusiast who wanted every bird mentioned in Shakespeare's plays to live in America. From 60 birds released, the North American population is now around 200 million.
- Conservation status
- invasive
- Family
- Sturnidae
What it eats.
Diet often shifts dramatically between breeding season and the rest of the year — especially for insectivorous birds that pivot to native berries in fall and winter.
Summer / breeding season
Ground-foraging: beetles, grubs, caterpillars, worms
Some grain and berries
Fed to nestlings: insects and grubs
Fall / winter
Grain, corn, seeds
Suet at feeders (often bullies smaller birds off)
Fruit and berries when insects are scarce
What it needs.
Native plants that feed this bird or provide shelter. Names in hydrangea link to the plant’s Field Guide entry.
Any berry-bearing shrub
Fruit / berry source
Grain and corn crops
Seed source
One of the most abundant birds in North America. Not federally protected. Widely legal to remove nests and eggs (verify state regulations). Classified as invasive; management is recommended in cavity-nesting habitats.
NestWatch (Cornell) · Duke Environmental Humanities