European starlings are a familiar sight across North America. These stocky, medium-sized birds have short tails, triangular wings, and long, pointed bills. While they may appear black from a distance, their summer plumage is iridescent purplish-green, transitioning to brown with prominent white spots in winter.
Starling Nesting Habits
Starlings typically nest in cavities, such as tree hollows, old woodpecker holes, or human-made structures like nest boxes and building crevices. Males often initiate construction, filling the cavity with materials like grass, twigs, and pine needles. Females then line the nest with softer items such as feathers, wool, and moss. A typical clutch of three to six glossy, pale blue or greenish-white eggs is incubated by both parents for 12 to 15 days.
Development Inside the Nest
Starling chicks are altricial, meaning they are born helpless and underdeveloped. Newly hatched chicks weigh around 6.4 grams, and their eyes remain closed for about six to seven days. They exhibit rapid growth, doubling their weight within the first week. Contour feathers begin to emerge as pin feathers around seven days old, and chicks can regulate their body temperature by about 13 days of age. Both parents feed the nestlings frequently, with visits sometimes reaching 100 to 300 times daily.
The Fledging Event
Starling chicks generally fledge, or leave the nest, when they are between 19 and 23 days old. This departure is not always a synchronized event, with some young birds leaving the nest a day or two before their siblings. Before fledging, nestlings exhibit behaviors indicating their readiness, such as becoming more restless and engaging in wing-flapping exercises at the nest entrance to strengthen their flight muscles. Once they fledge, they are mostly feathered and capable of short flights, though they may appear clumsy initially.
Life After Leaving the Nest
After leaving the nest, young starlings are not yet fully independent and continue to rely on their parents for sustenance and protection. Parental care, including feeding, can persist for several days to a week or even longer, gradually declining as the fledglings learn to forage for themselves. Parents guide their offspring to suitable foraging areas, teaching them to find food like insects and berries. Fledglings may spend time on the ground or in nearby vegetation as they hone their flight skills and become more adept at navigating their environment.