STARLTXGS 



239 



In this or some other way the Starlings, work- 

 ing lugether, always succeed in driving the Flick- 

 er from its home, in which they immediately 

 begin to build. The moment the Flicker gives 

 up vanquished, the Starlings molest it no more, 

 allowing it to hew out another hole, either in 

 the same tree or in one near by, when a similar 

 fight ensues with more Starlings ; and so the 

 Flicker is driven literally from pillar to post 

 until it has ])repared sufficient homes for the 

 Starlings in its neighborhood and all are satisfied, 

 or until it gives uj) in disgust and leaves the 

 vicinity of its aggressive neighbors. The princi- 

 pal spring work of the Flicker in the future will 

 be the preparation of nesting places for the Star- 

 ling. It is probable that the Hairy Woodpecker 

 and the Red-headed Woodpecker also will serve 

 as carplntcros for the interloper, but the Downy 

 \\'oodpecker will be exempt from such service, 

 as the entrance to its domicile is too small to 

 admit the Starling. There is no evidence that 

 the Starling has attempted to dispossess the 

 Screech Owl: but Mr. ClifTord M. Case of 

 Hartford, Connecticut, states that he has seen 

 a Starling whip and drive away a male .Spar- 

 row Hawk. Many correspondents report that 

 Flickers, Bluebirds, English Sparrows, and 

 Wrens have been driven from their nesting 

 places in old orchards by the Starlings. 



The Starling will compete with native birds 

 for their food supply. Mrs. P. R. Bonner of 

 Stamford has observed the intruder frequently 

 attacking Robins and other birds, and driving 

 them away from a lawn where they formerly 

 fed. The Starling is a sphinx-like bird and or- 

 dinarily treats other birds with a sort of con- 

 temptuous tolerance. In winter it even permits 

 Robins, Blackbirds, and Meadowlarks to join its 

 great flocks ; but as these flocks increase they 

 must eventually clean up most of the winter food 

 supjjly, and leave our native winter birds without 

 sufficient sustenance. 



The food of the Starling in America seems to 

 be similar in general character to that which it 

 consumes in Europe. It is particularly useful, 

 there, however, because of its fondness for the 

 destructive land snails, which are very numerous 

 in many regions. It cannot be expected that it will 

 be thus beneficial here, for we are not similarlv 

 afflicted in this country. The Starling can give 

 no service here that cannot be equally well per- 

 formed by our own Blackbirds, Aleadowlarks, 

 Bobolinks. Sparrows, and other birds, but it will 

 be useful where these birds are not numerous 

 enough to keep the insect enemies of grass lands 

 in check. Already, however, the Starling has 



begun to show a capacity for iiarni fulness which 

 may be expected to become more jirominent as 

 its numbers increase. In the breeding season 

 small flocks go to the cherry trees, and as they 

 alight for a few minutes a shower of cherry 

 stones may be heard. Sometimes they strip a tree 

 com])letely and then go to another. In other cases 

 they feed in a desultory way. taking toll from all 

 the trees in a neighborhood. 



Photo by E. H. Forbush 



STARLING 

 At nesting hole with caterpillars for its young 



Many observers state that the Starling eats 

 api)les, but this habit ap]5ears thus far to be con- 

 fined mainly to aj^ples left on the trees late in the 

 fall, after the crop has been gathered. Flocks 

 sometimes descend on a strawberry bed and con- 

 siderably reduce the crop. 



In the fall, when .Starlings gather into large 

 flocks of a thousand or more, they are often very 

 destructive to corn in the ear. In Europe they 



