Spotless replaces Common Starling in most of the Iberian Peninsula, north-west Africa, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, some areas of southern France and on Menorca in the Balearic Islands. Click Submit to share your rare bird sightings via our simple form. The browner tones are uniform including the head, making it inseparable from an average juvenile Common from the rest of Europe, suggesting a bird from a pure pair of Common Starlings (Marc Illa). It's a highly nomadic species which can undergo irruptive movements during breeding, gathering in huge colonies and sometimes nesting west of its normal range. In early summer it is easy to find mixed flocks of adult breeding Common Starlings along with juveniles. They are very vocal, and are expert at imitating the songs of other species, and even human-derived sounds like traffic and alarm clocks. Photo – Juvenile Common Starling © Chris Perriman. The slightly shorter throat feathers and an apparent retained brownish tertial suggest this bird is a first-summer, though it is not possible to sex it in this plumage (Andres Miguel Dominguez / BIA). By understanding the changes these birds go through during different seasons and different points in their lives, birders can identify them easily. They show mostly a brownish general colour on the upperparts, with no metallic gloss at all.

However, the bird in this image shows fewer darker tones than the average juvenile Spotless. José Luis Copete is  a bird ringer, recorder and researcher, as well as an editor at Lynx Edicions.
There is a wide overlap in range in north-east Spain, where both species breed and where they are even found in the same areas, occasionally producing hybrid pairs. It is also slightly decurved, a trait that is not always visible. The common starling (Sturnus vulgaris), also known as the European starling in the United States or simply the starling in the British Isles, is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae.It is about 20 cm (8 in) long and has glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen, which is speckled with white at some times of year. This bird is not as straightforward as the previous two. To identify these birds, look for…, Photo – Breeding Common Starling © Dan Pancamo, A non-breeding European starling is much less colorful than during the breeding season, and its heavily marked plumage can make it seem like a completely different species. Melissa Mayntz has been a birder and wild bird enthusiast for 30+ years. The absence of dark lores, as well as its paler plumage, separates it from juvenile Common Starling. In spring and summer, adults are most easily distinguished as they are still spotted, with a metallic gloss of green and purple, dull pink legs, and a subtly longer and thin-based bill. First-winters are similar to adults in plumage, especially first-winter males and adult females; however, young birds are duller, without the characteristic brilliant glossy tones of adults, especially those of males. Juveniles are dull brown without pale feather tips, with a darker bill and browner legs, as well as a diagnostic dark loral patch. First-summer/adult Spotless Starling (Andalucia, Spain, 1 July 2010). If you continue to use this site we’ll assume you’re happy to receive all cookies.

This is the most frequent plumage found in Britain in autumn. This camouflage helps protect the young birds from predators, but birders who know the field marks to check can easily identify even fledgling European starlings.

In flight, it is not possible to separate readily Common and Spotless Starlings unless good photographs can be obtained. Unlike Common and Spotless Starlings, however, Rosy does not mimic other species. This species breeds from the Balkans and Turkey east to Central Asia and north-west China, migrating to winter in India and south-east Arabia. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Juvenile 'pure' Common Starling (Catalonia, Spain, 3 June 2017). Adult male Common Starling (Brake, Mainland, Shetland, 12 October 2016). This article was originally published in the October 2018 issue of. Photo – Young Molting Starling © Ingrid Taylar. Only two species occur in Britain, Common and Rosy Starlings: the former is a numerous resident and winter visitor, the latter a scarce visitor occurring mainly in mid-summer and autumn. When young starlings molt, their appearance changes drastically and the mottled color changes can confuse birders of all experience levels. * Bird News Pro and Bird News Ultimate subscribers receive full sighting details.

Like many passerines, young starlings are far less boldly marked than adult birds. However, in females the pink tones tend to be dirtier and duller than the bird pictured; this individual also appears to have a longer crest than average for female in autumn and winter. The general colour is approaching average juvenile Common Starling, but the tones are a little darker on the mantle and wing feathers, suggesting the possibility of a hybrid Spotless x Common Starling. The bill is slightly shorter and thicker at the base. The bluish-grey base of the lower mandible is diagnostic of the male during the breeding season. Adult male Rosy Starling (Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, 28 June 2008). The clear green gloss on the mantle is also diagnostic in spring and summer (Julian Bhalerao). Watching large colonies of Rosy Starlings going to their roosts is one of the big spectacles of birding, with hundreds of thousands of birds flying in huge flocks to land on reeds, where a highly noisy chorus of squeaking voices can be heard for miles around. Starlings are among the most well-known of birds in Britain – they are widespread, though declining, as a breeding bird in parks in towns and cities and they form huge flocks in winter. The extent of hybridisation is, however, not yet known, and it could be more widespread than realised, given the difficulty in separating juveniles and first-winter birds.

After post-juvenile moult in August-September and even later into November, it can show a mixed pattern of retained pale brown juvenile feathers and moulted black feathers on the head and wings, giving it an odd appearance. Spotless Starling has been recorded as a vagrant in Denmark, Switzerland and Greece, so vagrancy to Britain is certainly possible. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever.

In winter plumage, after a complete post-breeding moult, both sexes of Rosy Starling attain a duller adult plumage. On current knowledge it is not possible to identify this bird as a pure Common Starling with certainty (Marc Illa). Juveniles are uniformly sandy-brown, with an overall café au lait colour when seen in full juvenile plumage as a vagrant in early autumn in Britain. For molting starling identification, watch for these field marks: European starlings (called common starlings in Europe) are one of the world's most numerous bird species, but with such bold differences between juvenile, breeding and non-breeding plumages, it can be confusing to identify these birds at different times of the year. European or common starlings are one of the most common birds in the world, but because they have several different plumage molts, they can be confusing to identify at different times of the year. As a result there are significant periodic summer and autumn influxes in western Europe. Juvenile 'pure' Spotless Starling (Catalonia, Spain, 21 May 2017). He has written numerous papers on bird identification. Presumed adult male Rosy Starling (Goa, India, 7 December 2015). The shaggy crest, at rest here, and brilliant and neat pink tones suggest this bird is a male (Steve Young / www.birdsonfilm.com).

The repertoire is highly variable between individuals, as in Common Starling, so the two species cannot be safely separated by song. It has been introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Polynesia. It is by far the most likely starling species to be encountered in Britain. In breeding plumage, the adult European starling is an attractive bird with bright colors and sleek iridescence. If you spot a café au lait starling, pay attention! In north-east Spain it is sometimes not possible to separate Common and Spotless Starling in juvenile plumage. The pink mantle, scapulars and most of the underparts combined with black head, throat, wings and tail is diagnostic of adult Rosy Starling. The songs tend to consist of either loud whistles or softer, jumbled warbling. In autumn and winter all ages and both sexes are profusely spotted. The absence of paler brown tones on the mantle, upperparts and head strongly suggest it to be a Spotless Starling, despite having been ringed in the area of overlap of both species (Marc Illa).

A third species, Spotless Starling, has not yet been recorded, but is a conceivable future addition to the British list. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Photo by Christian Cross / EyeEm / Getty Images, Photo by Alan Tunnicliffe Photography / Getty Images, Ingrid Taylar / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0.

Whistled songs are a few seconds long, often used between males. Presumed first-winter female Spotless Starling (Alicante, Spain, 3 December 2008). The general tones of this bird are darker compared with the average brown juvenile plumage of Common Starling. Juvenile Rosy is mostly plain, with a general pale brownish appearance. However, as both ages perform a complete moult, the extent of overlap can make sexing difficult, especially separating adult females from first-summer males (Andrew Moon). The legs are brighter pink when breeding. The almost absent glossy tones suggests it is a first-winter female – first-winter males are more noticeably glossy (Markus Varesvuo / www.birdphoto.fi). Adult and juvenile Common Starlings (Polemere NR, Shropshire, 5 June 2018). The straight, long bill, as well as the pale tips to the mantle feathers, eliminate Spotless Starling in this season.

Juvenile 'pure' Spotless Starling (Catalonia, Spain, 21 May 2017). They can warble, whistle, chatter, make smooth liquid sounds, harsh trills and rattles, and imitate meadowlarks, jays, and hawks. This species has a large breeding distribution across Eurasia, from Iceland east to Central Asia, Siberia, Mongolia, north-west China and Pakistan. Plumage colour is a good clue to find a young Rosy in autumn in big flocks of Common Starlings, since most first-year Commons have already moulted to a blackish plumage by September and October. Warbled songs can go on for more than a minute, and seem mainly directed at females. It is also more evenly purplish-green all over, and lacks the blue gloss present in Common Starling at some angles. The general tones of this bird are darker compared with the average brown juvenile plumage of Common Starling. However, it can appear very similar to Spotless Starling. Note the uniform brown upperparts of the juveniles (third and fourth birds from left) compared with the blackish adults which have paler feather tips on the mantle, scapulars and uppertail coverts (first, second and fifth birds from left) (Jim Almond). We use cookies to improve your experience of this website by remembering your usage preferences, collecting statistics, and targeting relevant content. Adult male Common Starling (Sheringham, Norfolk, 16 May 2010). This camouflage helps protect the young birds from predators, but birders who know the field marks to check can easily identify even fledgling European starlings. The absence of paler brown tones on the mantle, upperparts and head strongly suggest it to be a Spotless Starling, despite having been ringed in the area of overlap of both species (Marc Illa). The small pale tips and very narrow pale edge on the undertail coverts separate this Spotless Starling  from Common in winter. Have you seen something interesting?
Starlings are commonly seen on the ground when they feed, perched on wires or in flight, offering a view of triangular wings and a mostly black bird (in spring and summer) or black with whitish spots (in autumn and winter). To properly identify these fall and winter starlings, look for the following field marks…, Photo – Non-Breeding Common Starling © CheepShot. .

Adult males show a shaggy crest which can be erected when breeding.

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