2 T Hee A. U DUB O-N@ +B UE eel aie 
PHOTO BY EARL G. WRIGHT 
A banded starling 
a dark, nearly black, color. The young are a dark olive-brown until they 
are through with the molt, which occurs at the same time as the adults. 
In flight the starling greatly resembles the purple martin by its habit 
of sailing along on fixed wings. When searching for food it walks in a 
zigzag course, stopping only long enough to pick up a bit of food. Although 
the call notes are anything but musical, the ability of the male starling 
to mock our native birds is excellent. The male starling is able to mock 
the bluebird, robin, blue-jay and grackle to perfection, and it is difficult 
to determine whether or not the song is coming from its proper source. 
Early in April the starling prepares for nest building. It is an inter- 
esting experience to watch the birds make a thorough investigation of any 
possible nesting site. Their movements are methodical and no crevice or 
cranny escapes their utmost scrutiny. For the most part they are partial 
to human association and may be found nesting almost anywhere. I have 
found them nesting in bird-boxes, deserted woodpecker holes, under bridges, 
between the rafters in a barn, inside a house through a hole in the roof, 
behind window shutters, in a drain tile in the side of a bridge, and in an 
old tire hanging on a fence. The nest is made up of grass, straw, sticks, 
string, cloth, wire, feathers and any other material that is available. The 
pale blue eggs hatch in about thirteen days and the young remain in the 
nest for about eighteen or twenty days. Two broods of from three to six 
are raised each year, although occasionally a third brood is attempted but 
rarely turns out successfully. When the young of the first brood leave the 
nest they gather in large flocks. Early in September flocks of thousands 
may be seen in sections where they are common breeders. 
