Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for
Date of this Version
1-1-1994
Abstract
Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris) are robin-sized birds weighing about 3.2 ounces (90 g). Since their introduction into New York in the 1890s, starlings have spread across the continental United States, northward to Alaska and the southern half of Canada, and southward into northern Mexico. Starlings are found in a wide variety of habitats including cities, towns, farms, ranches, open woodlands, fields, and lawns. Starlings consume a variety of foods, including fruits and seeds of both wild and cultivated varieties. European starlings were brought into the United States from Europe. Starlings are frequently considered pests because of the problems they cause, especially at livestock facilities and near urban roosts. European starlings are not protected by federal law and in most cases not by state law.