ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE STARLING. 3 



made to visit places from which complaints had come, and enough of 

 these were investigated to give a good idea of the habits of the star- 

 ling in areas where it had acquired an unfavorable reputation. 



There were secured for this investigation a total of 2,466 well- 

 filled stomachs, probably a greater number than has ever before 

 been used for investigating the food habits of a single species of 

 bird. Of these, 309 were of nestlings. Approximately two-thirds 

 of the material was collected by representatives of the Biological 

 Survey, the remainder being secured from reliable collectors, who 

 at the same time submitted many economic notes of interest. Of 

 these stomachs 1,250 were collected in Connecticut, 814 in New 

 Jersey, 269 in New York, 62 in Pennsylvania, 43 in Massachusetts, 

 27 in Rhode Island, and 1 in Delaware. Besides these there were 

 gathered 160 additional stomachs only partially filled with food. 

 While these were not suited for estimating percentages, they fur- 

 nished considerable information concerning food items. 



In response to a circular letter sent under date of June 15, 1915, to 

 numerous bird students, horticulturists, and practical farmers, 269 

 replies were received. The following questions, embodied in that 

 circular, will give an idea of the data obtained : 



1. About what year did the starling appear in your neighborhood? 



2. Is it now common? When did it become so? Abundance as compared with 

 other species. 



3. Is the bird destructive to fruits? State kinds and, if possible, the approximate 

 amount of damage. 



4. Does the starling damage any other crops or property? 



5. What are the relations of the starling to other birds? 



6. Where plenty of nest boxes have been placed, has friction between the starling 

 and other species decreased? 



7. At what time of year do starlings begin to flock? Are they more destructive 

 when in flocks than at other times? 



8. Does the starling spend the winter in your locality? 



9. From your observations do you consider the starling injurious or beneficial? 



Besides the replies to these requests, correspondence from other 

 sources has yielded many facts that have been incorporated in this 

 bulletin. 



DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF THE STARLING. 2 



The starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is native to all but the most north- 

 ern parts of Europe, and also occupies the same latitudes in the 

 western two-thirds of Siberia. Migration in fall takes the bulk of 

 the species to countries bordering on the Mediterranean, and a 

 portion to the warm latitudes as far east as Hindustan. Several 

 related species and subspecies of starlings occupy adjacent sections 

 and even portions of the same areas in the southeastern part of this 



2 Most of the data here presented concerning the introduction and spread of the starling in the United 

 States prior to 1916 have been compiled by W. L. McAtee, of the Bureau of Biological Survey. 



