Starlings are one of the first messengers of spring. They arrive by the whole packs to the native land in February or March when on the street the snow still lies. A starling – a songbird. With approach of heat the males appear near birdhouses and raise the songs.
Who such starlings?
Starlings are a genus of the songbirds belonging to Skvortsov' family. According to zoological classification, 10 bird species, not enough different from each other as externally, and a way of life belong to a genus of starlings. The most widespread representative of this genus of birds is the starling ordinary. Acquaintance to these birds should be continued on its example.
How does the starling ordinary look?
The starling ordinary is a small bird with a length of body from 18 cm to 21 cm and with the wingspan reaching 39 cm. This creation no more than 17 g weighs. The appearance of starlings leaves much to be desired: the body at this bird massive, and necks is almost not visible. It does them slightly clumsy. Starlings possess the long, sharp and slightly bent down beaks. These birds are known not only the short necks, but also small wings.
Plumage on a back, on a breast and on a back part of a neck at adult females and males differs in nothing: feathers have black color with metal gloss. A tail at these birds too short (up to 6.8 cm long). Pads have a henna-red shade. The main difference of males from females is shown in the feathers located on their breasts: at males they extended, and at females – short and graceful. Besides, on the basis of a beak the males have a bluish spot, and females in this place have red specks.
Way of life of ordinary starlings
Ordinary and other starlings lodge everywhere where it is possible to find emptiness. These birds quite easily and quickly get used to new places of the settlement and quite do without natural grew dull. Quite often ornithologists observe how starlings equip the dwellings in openings of walls, in cracks of rocks. But the main dwelling of these birds are birdhouses thanks to which these creations gained wide popularity among people. In the wild nature some species of starlings lodge in deciduous forests, and are fed on cuttings and on meadows. Nests build and equip only females. Males do not like to take part in it. Only sometimes the male can bring some blade or a branch to make though not big, but a contribution to construction. In the morning and in the evening starlings sit on branches, rustle with black wings and sing the ringing songs. Their song is full of various sounds, starlings are the famous imitators. They dexterously copy voices of other birds, croaking of frogs and many other sounds. Starlings render the feasible help to the person, preserving agriculture against attacks from insects wreckers. These birds guard fields, gardens and kitchen gardens, being loyal friends of the person. For days on end these creations run on fields and to kitchen gardens look under leaves and under a grass, collecting a forage for the brood. Starlings eat insects, worms, arachnoid and caterpillars during the nested period and vegetable food in late summer. In August many starlings begin to fly away gradually to warm regions for the winter: they fly to the South of Europe and to North Africa. Quite often ordinary starlings winter in Central Europe.