Spotless Starling
Encyclopedia
The Spotless Starling Sturnus unicolor is a passerine
bird
in the starling
family Sturnidae. It is closely related to the Common Starling S. vulgaris, but has a much more restricted range, confined to the Iberian Peninsula
, northwest Africa
, southernmost France
, and on the islands of Sicily
, Sardinia
and Corsica
. It is largely non-migratory
.
The adult Spotless Starling is very similar to the Common Starling, but marginally larger (21–23 cm length; 70–100 g weight), and has darker, oily-looking black plumage, slightly purple- or green-glossed in bright light, which is entirely spotless in spring and summer, and only with very small pale spots in winter plumage, formed by the pale tips of the feathers. It also differs in having conspicuously longer throat feathers (twice the length of those on Common Starlings), forming a shaggy 'beard' which is particularly obvious when the bird is singing. Its legs are bright pink. In summer, the bill is yellow with a bluish base in males and a pinkish base in females; in winter, it is duller, often blackish. Young birds are dull brown, darker than young Common Starlings, and have a black bill and brown legs. Confusion with the Common Starling is particularly easy during the winter when Common Starlings are abundant throughout the Spotless Starling's range, but also in summer where their breeding ranges overlap in northeastern Spain and the far south of France. It can also be confused with the Common Blackbird Turdus merula, which differs most obviously in its longer tail and lack of plumage gloss.
Like the Common Starling, it walks rather than hops, and has a strong direct flight, looking triangular-winged and short-tailed. It is a noisy bird, and a good mimic; its calls are very similar to the Common Starling's, but are louder.
The Spotless Starling uses a wide range of habitats, and can be found in any reasonable open environment from farmland and olive
groves to human habitation. The highest population densities are in open grazed Holm Oak woods, and in urban habitats such as Gibraltar
, where it is common. The population has grown in recent decades with a northward expansion in range, spreading to the whole of Spain (previously absent from the northeast) between 1950–1980, and colonising locally along the south coast of mainland France since 1983. Like its commoner relative, it is an omnivore, taking a wide variety of invertebrates, berries, and human-provided scraps. It is gregarious, forming sizeable flocks, often mixed with Common Starlings, of up to 100,000 in winter.
Like most starlings, it is a hole-nesting species, breeding in tree holes, buildings and in cliff crevices. It typically lays three to five eggs.
, this species and the Common Starling are the only species retained in the genus. Hybrids with Common Starling are found occasionally where the breeding ranges overlap in northeast Spain.
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the starling
Starling
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The name "Sturnidae" comes from the Latin word for starling, sturnus. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent...
family Sturnidae. It is closely related to the Common Starling S. vulgaris, but has a much more restricted range, confined to the Iberian Peninsula
Iberian Peninsula
The Iberian Peninsula , sometimes called Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes the modern-day sovereign states of Spain, Portugal and Andorra, as well as the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar...
, northwest Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, southernmost France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and on the islands of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
and Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
. It is largely non-migratory
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
.
The adult Spotless Starling is very similar to the Common Starling, but marginally larger (21–23 cm length; 70–100 g weight), and has darker, oily-looking black plumage, slightly purple- or green-glossed in bright light, which is entirely spotless in spring and summer, and only with very small pale spots in winter plumage, formed by the pale tips of the feathers. It also differs in having conspicuously longer throat feathers (twice the length of those on Common Starlings), forming a shaggy 'beard' which is particularly obvious when the bird is singing. Its legs are bright pink. In summer, the bill is yellow with a bluish base in males and a pinkish base in females; in winter, it is duller, often blackish. Young birds are dull brown, darker than young Common Starlings, and have a black bill and brown legs. Confusion with the Common Starling is particularly easy during the winter when Common Starlings are abundant throughout the Spotless Starling's range, but also in summer where their breeding ranges overlap in northeastern Spain and the far south of France. It can also be confused with the Common Blackbird Turdus merula, which differs most obviously in its longer tail and lack of plumage gloss.
Like the Common Starling, it walks rather than hops, and has a strong direct flight, looking triangular-winged and short-tailed. It is a noisy bird, and a good mimic; its calls are very similar to the Common Starling's, but are louder.
The Spotless Starling uses a wide range of habitats, and can be found in any reasonable open environment from farmland and olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
groves to human habitation. The highest population densities are in open grazed Holm Oak woods, and in urban habitats such as Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, where it is common. The population has grown in recent decades with a northward expansion in range, spreading to the whole of Spain (previously absent from the northeast) between 1950–1980, and colonising locally along the south coast of mainland France since 1983. Like its commoner relative, it is an omnivore, taking a wide variety of invertebrates, berries, and human-provided scraps. It is gregarious, forming sizeable flocks, often mixed with Common Starlings, of up to 100,000 in winter.
Like most starlings, it is a hole-nesting species, breeding in tree holes, buildings and in cliff crevices. It typically lays three to five eggs.
Taxonomy
Subsequent to the recent split-up of the genus SturnusSturnus
Sturnus is a genus of starlings. As discussed below, the taxonomy of this group is complex, and other authorities differ considerably in which species they place in this genus, and in the species boundaries within Sturnus....
, this species and the Common Starling are the only species retained in the genus. Hybrids with Common Starling are found occasionally where the breeding ranges overlap in northeast Spain.