The European Starling is native to Europe and Asia, but has been introduced to North America, South America, and Australia. The spread of this bird in North America was quite epic. According to the Birds of North America online, "The success of the European Starling in North America is nothing less than phenomenal. Although estimates vary, it is commonly believed that a total of about 100 individuals was released into Central Park, in New York City, in 1890 and 1891. The entire North American population, now numbering more than 200 million and distributed across most of the continent, is derived from these few birds. This is arguably the most successful avian introduction to this continent." I knew they were prolific, but I had no idea to what extent!
The presence of the European Starling in North America has had a major impact on other bird species. Often, it will out compete other birds for nesting cavities. They are known to mingle in huge flocks, which can be quite a sight to see when birds start flying.
The European Starling has shiny black plumage, glossed purple or green, and speckled with white. We see them all of the time in Maryland, and we've had some hit our suet feeder pretty hard recently.
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