The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a highly adaptable bird with a varied diet. This common species is an omnivore, consuming a wide range of both animal and plant matter. This flexibility allows it to thrive across diverse habitats, from urban centers to farmlands. Its success is largely dependent on its ability to switch between food sources as availability changes throughout the year.
The Predominance of Invertebrates
The core of the adult starling’s diet consists of invertebrates, particularly during the spring and summer breeding season. This animal matter provides the high-protein content necessary for energy and supporting reproduction. Starlings forage intensely on short-grass areas like lawns and fields to locate these protein sources.
They consume soil-dwelling creatures, including earthworms, snails, slugs, and various insect larvae and grubs. Favored items include the larvae of beetles (Coleoptera), moths (Lepidoptera), and leatherjackets (crane fly larvae).
Seasonal Shifts to Fruits and Seeds
As the supply of ground invertebrates dwindles, the starling diet shifts toward plant-based foods. In autumn and winter, the birds rely heavily on fruits, berries, grains, and seeds for energy. This seasonal change is supported by a physiological adaptation: the starling’s intestine lengthens to better digest tougher plant materials.
Wild berries, such as pokeberry and Russian olive, are readily consumed. Starlings are also attracted to cultivated crops like cherries, apples, and grapes, often causing damage by pecking at the produce. Large flock sizes can create issues in agricultural settings by consuming planted grains or contaminating livestock rations in feedlots.
Specialized Foraging Techniques
The starling possesses specific behaviors that allow it to acquire food from various environments.
Gaping
A particularly distinctive technique is called “gaping.” This involves inserting the closed bill into the soil, dense vegetation, or a crevice. The bird then uses powerful muscles to forcibly open its beak, creating a small hole to expose hidden insects and larvae. This action is often paired with a specialized visual ability to look straight down the length of the bill to see the exposed prey.
Starlings also use simple probing to locate food just beneath the surface of soft ground or to pick at insects on bark. Flock feeding is another common strategy, where large groups forage communally, increasing the likelihood of disturbing and discovering prey while also providing safety in numbers.
Dietary Needs of Young Starlings
The diet of nestling starlings requires a high-protein food source for rapid growth and development. For the first weeks of life, the diet is composed almost entirely of invertebrates, often reaching 95% to 100% animal matter. Parent birds work tirelessly to deliver soft-bodied insects and larvae to the nestlings.
Key prey items for the young include soft beetle grubs, caterpillars, and Tipulidae larvae, which can constitute over half of the delivered food by mass. This insect-heavy regimen ensures the chicks receive the necessary amino acids and fats to fledge quickly. Once the young birds leave the nest, they spend a short transition period foraging alongside their parents before adopting the varied omnivorous diet of the adult.