172 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



The starling may be readily recognized by its general ap- 

 pearance and manner of flight. It is about the size of the 

 red-winged blackbird, but has a very short tail. It is usually 

 dark in color, and during the breeding season its bill is bright 

 yellow. Those who see it for the first time usually describe it 

 as a blackbird with a yellow bill. In flight it flutters much 

 like a meadow lark, but seldom sails as the lark does. 



The Starling in Europe. 



In order to get some idea of what we may expect of the 

 starling in this country w^e must first glance at its history 

 in Europe. There it is one of the most abundant birds. In 

 some sections it has been more numerous in the past than 

 it is now, but on the other hand it is now increasing in num- 

 bers in other regions. Most of the starlings in northern 

 European countries pass the winter in southern Europe, but 

 reappear in the north very early in the spring, sometimes 

 before the snow is gone ; and in nmch of the northern jiart 

 of its range a few individuals are resident throughout the 

 winter. Although it resembles our blackbirds somewhat in 

 appearance, it differs widely from them in its breeding hab- 

 its. In Europe it nests in hollow trees, in holes or crevices 

 in rocks, walls, cliffs and buildings. Like the house spar- 

 row it is a close companion of man during the breeding sea- 

 son. In building its nest it occupies suitable places about the 

 eaves, and utilizes bird houses and nesting boxes as the 

 house sparrow does. It lays from four to seven greenish- 

 blue eggs and usually raises two broods each season. It 

 is a very gregarious species, and even during the breeding 

 season may be seen in small flocks, a few individuals or a 

 family often consorting together. By midsummer these small 

 flocks begin to congregate into larger ones, containing hun- 

 dreds of individuals, and increasing sometimes in the fall to 

 thousands and tens of thousands. The largest flights are 

 seen at the roosts. Usually the starlings from a large area 

 concentrate on some marsh at night, where they roost in the 

 reeds, and from these centers they scatter over the country 

 to feed each day, returning every evening to the same roost, 



