The starling is a small black bird,
easily recognizable by its purple and green iridescent plumage.
As if the tips of its feathers were dipped in cream, white flecks cover the bird's body, and its bill ranges from a dull brown in the winter months to a chipper yellow come summertime.
While the starling may sound beautiful and majestic, it's probably one of the most detested little birds in North America, most often described as dirty, loud and downright invasive.
Originally hailing from Great Britain, a quirky drug manufacturer named Eugene Schieffelin imported the bird to North America in 1860-61. He released over 100 starlings in New York City's Central Park with the romantic intentions of bringing to North America every bird ever mentioned by William Shakespeare. While his intentions may have been noble and romantic at the time, the starling is now a prime example of how disastrous it can be when humans meddles with nature.
According to Columbia University, an
estimated 200 million starlings can be found in North America, their habitat ranging from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It roosts in hoards of up to a million, devouring massive amounts of seed, fruit, insects and even fungi when times are tough.
The starling has proven to be quite the resilient bird -- it is what is known as a "habitat generalist," able to triumph in almost any climate. It is an aggressive bird, evicting native birds from their homes, competing (and most often winning) for food and space. A cavity nester, the starling competes with native species such as woodpeckers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Tree Swallows, Eastern Bluebirds and Purple Martins.
Many attempts have been made eradicate the starling from the U.S., including installing speakers to broadcast starling distress calls, spraying them with detergents, using poison pellets, firing roman candles to destroy flocks, and even creating recipes for starling pies.
It just goes to show how fast a Shakespearean dream can transform into a Hitchcockian nightmare.
Flickr photo courtesy of
jidanchaomian.
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The Huffington Post Ashley Smith
First Posted: 01/23/2012 4:30 pm Updated: 01/25/2012 9:30 am