128 



NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 73 



FAMILY STURNIDAE: Starlings 

 Starling {Sturnus vulgaris) 



Status: Introduced. Regular migrant, nesting species, and winter resident. 



Migration: Abundant migrant in the Western Upland and Central Plain, less 

 common in the Northern Highland. Dates of spring arrival are difficult to 

 determine because of wintering individuals. However, large increases in the 

 population occur from late February through 20 March. During fall migra- 

 tion, flocks begin forming in early August and peak movements occur 

 15 September to 15 October. 



Nesting Season Distribution: Abundant nesting species in the Western 

 Upland and Central Plain; uncommon and local in the Northern Highland. 

 The first record of this species in the Valley was obtained from St. Croix 

 County in 1937 (Anonymous 1939). Since that time, the starling population 

 has expanded and the species now breeds throughout the Valley. Breeding 

 Bird Survey data show that largest populations occur in areas heavily 

 settled by humans and where agriculture has expanded. The mean number of 

 starlings recorded along the route of the Dresser BBS (Polk County) is 44.3; 

 however, in the heavily forested region traversed by the Union BBS route 

 (Burnett County), this species was not recorded. 



Winter: Common to locally abundant winter resident in the Western 

 Upland, fairly common in the Central Plain, and uncommon to rare or absent 

 in the Northern Highland. During this period, large flocks of starlings are 

 associated with cattle feedlots or barnyards in agricultural areas, and near 

 feedmills and feeder operations in residential areas. 



Habitat: Starlings nest in a variety of vegetation types, and in residential 

 buildings, or in nest boxes erected for other species. Starlings have been 

 considered an important factor in the decline of several more desirable 

 species including the red-headed woodpecker and eastern bluebird. Because 

 starlings return to their breeding areas and establish territories earUer than 

 other hole-nesting species, they dominate these nest sites before other 

 migrants return. 



FAMILY VIREONIDAE: Vireos 



White-eyed Vireo {Vireo griseus) 

 Status: Accidental. 



Record: An adult white-eyed vireo was trapped and banded at the Warner 

 Nature Center, Washington County, on 3 May 1977 (Wojahn 1977). 



Bell's Vireo {Vireo bellii) 



Status: Casual migrant and summer resident. 



