Science

Non-breeding Adult

(Wang, 2024) -- its my own picture :)

Identify your invasive species

My invasive specie: European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris

Provide a physical description of the invasive species (appearance, size, lifespan, …)*

European Starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, or Common Starlings, are among North America's most numerous songbirds. They are stocky black birds with short tails, triangular wings, and long, pointed bills. Though they’re sometimes resented for their abundance and aggressiveness, they’re still dazzling birds when you get a good look. Covered in white spots during winter, they turn dark and glossy in summer. For much of the year, they wheel through the sky and mob lawns in big, noisy flocks. They have a length of 20-23 cm, weight of 60-96 g, and a wingspan of 31-40 cm. They have a lifespan of around 2 to 3 years.

(European Starling, n.d.)

Outline how the invasive species entered the area you are trying to study*

The area that I will be studying is North America. European Starlings originated from Europe (how it got its name), including regions in Russia, and as far east as Russia and China. Though how it got to North America is debated, the most reasonable explanation is that all the European Starlings in North America descended from 100 birds set loose in New York's Central Park in the early 1890s. Those 100 birds were intentionally released by a group who wanted America to have all the birds that Shakespeare ever mentioned in his works(Shakespeare mentioned European Starlings in Henry IV, Part 1). Eventually the population took off. Today, more than 200 million European Starlings range from Alaska to Mexico, competing recourses with native species, so they are considered an invasive specie.

(European Starling, n.d.)

A picture of an European Starling competing against a Northern Flicker, a native specie to North America.

(Fabiola Forns, 2024)

Explain why this invasive species is a risk to the local ecosystem

There are many problems that European Starlings cause to the local ecosystem. As mentioned above, European Starlings are introduced to North America in the late 1800s. Soon enough, they have spread across Canada, as far north as Alaska, and as far south as north Guatemala. As an introduced specie, Common Starlings are not considered a native specie. But, European Starlings are known for their "anger issues" and strong bodies, which together, formed a bird that is aggressive. This formed a lot of problems. For example, competition between Common Starlings and native species are extremely common. First of all, there are a limited amount of space to make nests, and tree holes are perfect. A pair of Northern Flickers (native specie to North America) was fortunate enough to find one. But, soon enough, a Common Starling showed up and took the hole, as the picture towards the left suggests.

But, European Starling bring far more threat to crops and plants. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service's studies, in 2012, field damage surveys were conducted in cherry orchards and vineyards in states like Michigan, New York, Washington and Oregon. According to this source, results from the 2012 survey of producers (farmers) indicated $51 million in damages to sweet cherries and $33 million to blueberries. Total bird damage for the five types of fruit crops covered in the 2012 survey (blueberries, wine grapes, apples, sweet cherries and tart cherries) was estimated at $189 million. Out of all birds who damaged these crops, European Starlings were either ranked number 1 or 2, meaning that they are the species who brought the most harm.

(Homan et al., 2017)

A Peregrine Falcon eating an European Starling,

photo by John Germain, 2025.

Picture from science article "European Starlings", (Homan et al. 2017)

Monitoring the species

Outline how scientists use techniques to monitor/measure the above species populations.

Although there aren't any super efficient way to monitor the amount of this species, there are some techniques that scientists use to help monitor European Starlings. Although, scientists can get help from other species. Even though European Starlings are fierce among birds their size, they still cannot escape the claws of all the different raptors, owls, etc. So, the first way that scientists do to help monitor European Starlings are building nest boxes (helping them safely raise their hatchlings) for those that stays higher up in the food chain. An example of one of those species is the Peregrine Falcon. In the image to the left by John Germain, 2025, you can clearly see how it is consuming an European Starling. The second way to monitor this specie are limiting the food that it is harming (this makes it so that Starlings have less food and crops don't get damaged) are making raptor-shaped kites (second image). This plan is similar to the first one, but this one doesn't actually need an actual, living raptor. Another way to monitor this species is making nest boxes designs that are small enough to prevent starlings to enter ; < 1 ” diameter entry hole. With these nest boxes, smaller native birds are able to safely hatch their eggs and raise their hatchlings.

(Homan et al., 2017)

Another thing that scientists do to monitor this species are using cage and nest box traps. According to "European Starlings", (Homan et al. 2017), boxes and cages are used by scientists to trap these species. Then, scientists will transfer the captured birds to a cardboard box or cage and euthanize with carbon dioxide gas or by cervical dislocation. Examine all dead birds for bands and report any bands found to the U.S. Geological Survey (Homan, et al. 2017, p. 14). Lastly, there are nature enthusiastists who will shoot European Starlings with either pellet guns or shotguns (if shooting Starlings are legal in the area where they are in).

Picture of a cage trap in scientific report / article "European Starling" (Homan et al. 2017)

Include an annotated diagram illustrating how you would go about monitoring/estimating the size of the species population in the area.

Also include a blank data table (with units) that could be used by a biologist to estimate the population size. This diagram will serve as a method for a lab that you are designing, and must show the controlled variables. The blank data table will indicate your variables (independent, dependent) and how much data you will collect (sufficient data). The diagram will show your method.

My lab's main objective will be focusing on how can we as normal people, help the scientists with monitoring this species. My lab's title will be called Different Food vs. Starling Appearance. My lab will have independent, dependent, and control variables. The overview of this lab is I will put 2 different kind of bird food on the bird feeder, and then I will place a camera, to keep track of the birds that visit the bird feeder. I will let the camera record for 2 hours, from 8am - 10am (when the birds are activated). After collecting the data, I will calculate the ratio of amount of starling to total amount of birds to find out the how will changing the food affect the likelyhood of an European Starling to appear. The independent variable will be the food that will be on the bird feeder. The dependent variable is the amount of Starlings that come visit the bird feeder. The control variables are the same weather, approximately the same temperature, the same feeder, the same amount of time to collect data (2 hours), the same start and end of recording, and the same camera. This is my data table:

Discuss and analyze an implication (social, economic, moral, ethical, environmental, cultural, political) of managing the species

One economic / environmental impact that European Starlings has caused as scientists try to manage this species. This huge problem is that European Starlings carry diseases like ncephalitis, histoplasmosis, and ornithosis. It is not a problem if European Starlings are the only ones that suffer from these disease...I mean, we want to decrease the number, right? But the main problem is that these diseases can be spreaded, and ultimately infect domestic livestocks, and sometimes, even humans. According to "European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) as Vectors and Reservoirs of Pathogens Affecting Humans and Domestic Livestock" (Lucidi, 2011), the vast majority of work on bacterial commensals and pathogens in starlings dealt with species of enteric bacteria which colonize a broad range of vertebrate hosts. Many of these studies included intermediate interactions with domestic livestock including cattle and other ruminants, pigs, and a variety of poultry. In other words, Common Starlings have the capability to spread diseases to a broad range of vertebrates. It is extrememly important that these vertebrates includes pigs and chickens, which humans consume heavily. One of these diseases is Escherichia coli, or also known as E. coli. Escherichia coli comprises a large group of related bacteria which colonize the intestinal tract of animals. For human–starling interactions, two major concerns exist: the transmission of pathogenic strains directly or indirectly to humans, and the economic losses associated with E. coli pathogens spread to livestock. An additional, more general concern is the propagation and spread of antimicrobial resistance genotypes; antibiotic resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria are a serious public health issue, and livestock are often exposed to a variety of antimicrobials (Lucidi, 2021, part 3.1.1). The fact that there are such a vast variety of diseases that can be transmitted to domestic livestock and even humans means a lot of money spent to cure diseases. To summarize, European Starlings can carry all kinds of diseases, which can be transmitted most vertebrates, which leads to many economic (money) and environmental (the actual "infection" part) impacts.

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