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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

World Bird Wednesday V

In Defense of the Starling


Sturnus vulgaris

          Oh poor Starling! No one likes you very much. It is said you destroy crops and are responsible for the decline of our beloved native song birds like the the pretty Blue Bird. Such are the charges brought against you! 

"Mortimer!!!"
Your entry into North America was based on a chance turn of phrase from Shakespeare's Henry IV. From 50 pairs released in 1890-91 in the Central Park of New York City by the American Acclimatization Society, who's mission it was to introduce every bird ever mentioned in the legacy of Sir William Shakespeare to the United States, an estimated 200 million Starlings are now living in and enjoying North America. In all his plays, Shakespeare mentions around 600 birds but the Starling only once.   “The king forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer. But I will find him when he is asleep, and in his ear I’ll holler ‘Mortimer!’ Nay I’ll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but Mortimer, and give it to him to keep his anger still in motion." There you have it. The Starlings ability to mimic sounds, even human speech, led Sir William to use the bird as a devise to drive his antihero bonkers. Observed here, in the early winter sunrise, with fresh white tipped feathers, the ends of which will wear off by next summer, one also notes its otherworldly iridescence. Most of the year the Starlings blunt, compact body is dark brown in most light and butt ugly to most human observers. The perceived wisdom that the European Starlings have crossed this continent and displaced native song birds, mimicking their human European counterparts progression across the same land displacing Aboriginal peoples, is now called into some question. Could human related factors such as the loss of habitat and habitat fragmentation actually be the cause of song bird decline and not the Starlings habit of hogging nesting sites? And even as huge flocks descend on crops, are they actually acting as a control on harmful insects and not foraging? I admit such questions are beyond my intellect and the debate rages among wiser observers but I think the questions are worth a fresh look. Please check out http://www.starlingcentral.net/badrap.htm for the in depth defense of this much maligned ugly European!


"He has all of the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."

                                                                                                                Sir Winston Churchill



And Now its Time for World Bird Wednesday!

This is the home of "World Bird Wednesday." It is a place for bird lovers from around the world to share their photo-blogs and birding experiences. The Blogosphere connects like minded people from around our planet like no other technology can do. Our fifth World Bird Wednesday will be open for posting at 12 noon Tuesday EST North America through noon on Thursday.




You are invited to link your blog with other bird photographers in a weekly celebration of these most diverse and beautiful of Earth's residents, the BIRDS!
 
  
                                                      
 
Three easy steps!


#1. Simply copy the above picture onto your W.B.W. blog entry. It contains a link for your readers to share in WBW. Or you can copy this link on to your blog page to share W.B.W. http://pineriverreview.blogspot.com/

#2. Come to The Pine River Review on Tuesday Noon EST through Thursday Noon and submit your blog entry with Linky.

#3. Check back in during the course of the next day and explore these excellent photoblogs!


The thumbnails below are links to our contributors blogs where you can view their beautiful posts. The idea of a meme is that you will visit each others blogs and perhaps leave a comment to encourage your compadres.

                                                                   Come on it's your turn!


29 comments:

  1. Worthy discussion to have about starlings- I suppose humans have made many mistakes in the past when we pass judgment too quickly!

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  2. As a European I won't join that discussion :-)
    These pictures of the Starling are beautiful. That shiny green gives it the look of a king!

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  3. Oh, I don't think he's ugly at all! He's beautiful! Your captures, as usual, are perfect!

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  4. It's a beauty! Just look at those greens! Wonderful shots, great contrast to the blue sky, Springman.

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  5. You captured the starling in all his glory! Wonderful pics and great post! The connection to Shakespeare was new to me. Thank you for posting it!

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  6. The poor little bird. I has done nothing wrong yet it is not wanted.

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  7. I don't think that he's ugly at all!

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  8. These images are beautiful! I have not seen Australian starlings look like this - with the flecks of colour and the green! Stunning!

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  9. I'm more curious about how the American Acclimatization Society did on its list of 600 Shakespearean birds.

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  10. I love Starlings. The hooligans of the bird world. Such great survivors, and adaptors; and that's why they are so successful.
    Beautiful shots.

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  11. Such characters and always welcome here.

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  12. Beautiful pictures of the starlings,we don`t seem to get many here in the woods.
    I uploaded my first picture & put the wrong link to my blog,dah...glad I was able to get it right,phylliso

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  13. Ive always had mixed feelings on introduced species, but its the fault of man...not the critters! Beautiful shots of our English Immigrants! Here they are strict city dwellers. We do have problems with Brown Headed Cowbirds though.

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  14. I guess if you feed the birds, you'll have Starlings. What gorgeous irredescent feathers they have. I have a Starling in my post today too.
    B.

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  15. well, I like the Starlings :)

    They never bothered me. The Photos you show are absolutely gorgeous. Perfect!

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  16. OK, forgot to say that I have a question of Common Swifts behavior if anyone can answer taht.

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  17. Beautiful shots, I didn't know the Starling was introduced to America, interesting to read about it!

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  18. Very interesting to learn more about the Starlings. Fine shot of these birds too.

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  19. I love starlings my sons girlfriend came back from University this week with Pictures of huge flocks in Aberystwyth IN Wales thhey roost on the peir each night. I love em, Don

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  20. This is an interesting post, like most I have read only negative things about this bird. I haven't run across them here in California though I understand they are here.

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  21. I think he's a rather handsome fellow you've captured. Even if he isn't well liked in some areas.

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  22. I love these beautiful birds. Great images.

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  23. I love the colors that you have captured. I need to look for these as the spring approaches.

    Thanks again for starting World Bird Wednesday!

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  24. Well Gang,
    Another World Bird Wednesday has slipped into the history books! Thanks to all who have shared their enthusiasm and expertise. Birders are the best friends a bird could have! And lets hope I get that monopod for Christmas!

    ;-)WBW

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  25. Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful compositions on his blog. Wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Best wishes. Leovi.

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  26. He can be a beauty all shiny and satiny.
    all he says is--"I'm a bird and I do my job--Lay off". MB

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  27. Hi Springman, thanks for your visit to my blog today. We also have European starlings here in South Africa (Southern Hemisphere)but they're nothing as beautiful as your starlings. Hope you've had a good Christmas. Greetings from Jo

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  28. Lovely1 Up here in gloomy old norhtern England we get terrific eyefuls of amazing views of trillions os Starlings whooshing around over Leighton Moss. If you want to know more about the ways Elvis Presley has conributed to the study of these whooshings, copy and paste http://mostlybirdingwithray.blogspot.com/2010/01/elvis-presleys-gyrations-mathematically.html

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  29. Ray continued... thanks pineriverreview for your kind comments about my rather idiosyncratic blog.... best wishes from Ray.

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