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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 BULLETIN* No. 868 



Contribution from the Bureau of Biological Survey 

 E. W. NELSON, Chief 



Washington, D. C. 



PROFESSIONAL PAPER 



January 10, 1921 



ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE STARLING 

 IN THE UNITED STATES 



By 

 E. R. KALMBACH and I. N. GABRIELSON 



Assistant Biologists 



CONTENTS 



Page 



Problems Raised by the Starling 1 



Sources of Information 2 



Distribution and Abundance 3 



Description 8 



Life History 9 



Economic Status in Other Countries. . . 13 



Food Habits in the United States .... 15 



Animal Food of Adults 15 



Insects 15 



Millipeds 25 



Spiders 25 



Mollusks 26 



Miscellaneous Animal Food . . 26 



Vegetable Food of Adults 26 



Cherries 26 



Berries 29 



Apples , 29 



Pears and Peaches . 30 



Grapes 30 



Corn 31 



Page 

 Food Habits in the United States— Contd. 

 Vegetable Food of Adults — Contd. 



i Small Grain 34 



Garden Truck 34 



Wild Fruit 35 



Miscellaneous Vegetable Food . 37 



Food of Nestlings 37 



Observations from Blind .... 39 



Stomach Examination 40 



Animal Food 41 



Vegetable Food 43 



Food Preferences at Different 



Ages 44 



Relation to Other Species of Birds ... 46 



Natural Enemies 53 



Eradication of Roosts 54 



Control Measures 56 



Legislation 57 



Summary of Evidence 57 



Conclusion 59 



WASHINGTON 

 GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 



1921 



