The appearance of a young starling changes dramatically during its first few months, moving through distinct stages before achieving its adult look. Identifying these common urban and suburban birds requires understanding their developmental phase. This article focuses on the European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), the species most frequently encountered across North America and many other parts of the world.
Appearance of Hatchlings and Nestlings
A newly hatched starling is altricial, meaning it is born in a helpless, underdeveloped state, entirely dependent on its parents for warmth and food. The hatchling is essentially naked, with pink skin and only a sparse covering of grayish down feathers. Its eyes are closed and typically remain so for almost a week, usually opening between six and seven days after hatching.
As the bird transitions to the nestling stage, its most noticeable feature is the bright yellow or orange-yellow gape flanges, the fleshy corners of the mouth. These prominent structures help parents locate and feed the chick in the dark cavity nest. Dark pin feathers, which look like tiny quills, begin to emerge through the skin around one week of age, signifying the rapid growth of contour feathers. Starling chicks typically remain in the nest cavity for approximately three weeks, gaining mass quickly before their first flight.
The Look of a Fledgling Starling
The fledgling stage begins when the young starling first leaves the nest, and this is the period the public is most likely to encounter one. A starling fledgling has a distinctly unkempt or scruffy appearance because its new feathers are not yet fully smoothed for efficient flight. The plumage is a uniform, dull grayish-brown, completely lacking the glossy iridescence of the adult bird.
A telltale sign of a fledgling is its short tail, which is noticeably shorter than the rest of its body because the flight feathers are still growing. The bird may move clumsily, often hopping along the ground instead of flying proficiently, though it is capable of short flights. The bright yellow gape flanges remain a prominent feature, used to signal parents for continued feeding, a practice that can last for one to two weeks after leaving the nest.
Juvenile Starling Plumage
After the fledgling period, the bird enters the juvenile stage, having mastered flight and begun to forage independently. It retains its distinct juvenile plumage, which is a uniform drab gray or pale brown, offering better camouflage than the adult’s glossy black feathers. Unlike adults, which are covered in white spots during the winter, the juvenile’s body plumage is plain, sometimes showing only subtle, light streaking.
The juvenile starling can be distinguished from the adult by its beak color, which is a dark brownish-black. This contrasts with the adult’s beak, which is duller in winter but turns bright yellow during the breeding season. This intermediate plumage is held until the young bird undergoes a partial or complete molt in late summer or early fall. This molt replaces the dull feathers with the first basic plumage, making the bird look much more like an adult.