A well deserved bath! Photo Album

This European Starling is taking a refreshing bath, after all the temperature is well over 90 degrees! He's been busy foraging for some food but the heat is making it difficult to continue.

European Starling

European Starling - Spec. Name: Sturnus Vulgaris  This is a passerine bird in the family Sturnidae. European Starling This species of starling is native to most of temperate Europe and western Asia. It is resident in southern and western Europe and southwestern Asia, while northeastern populations migrate south and west in winter to these regions, and also further south to areas where it does not breed in Iberia and north Africa. It has also been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, North America, and South Africa. The European Starling, native to Eurasia, has the dubious distinction of being one of the most successful birds introduced to North America. This, and several other misguided bird introductions, were an effort to introduce into North America all of the birds mentioned in the writings of William Shakespeare. From 100 individuals released in 1890-91 in Central Park in New York City, an estimated 200 million birds are now found over most of North America, Mexico and parts of the Caribbean. Their range expanded to the midwest by 1930, reached the Rocky Mountains by 1940, and the west coast by the 1960’s (Cabe1993). The starling is an intelligent, attractive, and interesting bird, but it has a significant negative impact on native species, and its habit of forming large wintering flocks often make it an unwelcome pest.

The European Starling has a glossy black plumage with greenish and purple iridescence. White tips predominate on the contour feathers following their annual molt. These white tips gradually wear off by the following spring, giving the bird an overall glossy black look. Starlings are 7.5 to 8.7 inches long with a wingspan of 15.5 inches. Weights range from 2.5 to 3 ounces. All photographs shown  here were shot in Georgia by HJ Ruiz