“In Henry IV, Shakespeare wrote, “I’ll have a starling taught to say nothing but ‘Mortimer,’ and I’ll give it to him to keep his anger still in motion.” That line resulted in a North American starling population that numbers approximately 200 million.” ~ Royal BC Museum Website “Aliens Among Us”
European Starlings were introduced in North American around 1890, and are native to Europe and Asia. They spread across most of the continent and are seen as pests, especially to farmers. They usually travel in groups and can be quite loud. They are also mimics, and can copy sounds of other birds.
I have seen these earlier in the year, but never had my camera when I have seen them. On this particular Sunday morning I was taking a stroll around Lillooet while awaiting the muffins to come out of the oven of my favorite café ~ The Rugged Bean. The starlings are always hanging out around Main street, and have made their homes in the power poles that line the street, so they are frequently hanging out on the wires. I like their summer coat, all shiny and iridescent. In the winter they don more subdued plumage, black with white dots. I’ll have to seek some out this winter to get some shots for my collection.
BCSONGBIRD 