Species: European Starling
Most recent capture date: 9/03/2023
Age: less than six months old
​Sex: female

Notes: Yes, we band starlings! When we get the chance – they don’t often venture from the neighboring field into our riparian forest. Prior to this bird, we caught six in summer 2020, four in summer 2015, and so on at that low frequency. European Starlings are a nonnative species, introduced to North America by humans and now widespread; they aren’t targets of conservation like the other birds we band, but they can still tell us about bird behavior and ecology. On an individual level they’re striking and charismatic, with a funny frowny face unlike any other species we handle. This one is replacing her dull juvenile plumage with adult speckled iridescence.