The stunning starling is a bird that is often overlooked as it bounces around supermarket car parks or hangs out on the fences of playgrounds, as this bird is. My partner calls them “greasy weasels”, in recognition of the oil-slick colouring on their feathers and the fact that they can often be seen loitering near bins. I should point out that he only says that to wind me up when I am in the middle of proclaiming that they are beautiful.
Like other birds I love, such as some of the corvid and gull species, starlings are adaptable when it comes to food and feeding, which is why they have become a feature of our urban landscapes. Food scraps are now as much a part of their diet as invertebrates and insects. However, it is worth remembering that they are a red-listed species with the loss of suitable nesting sites, namely cavities in buildings, thought to be a contributory factor in the decline in their populations seen over recent decades.
In Red Sixty Seven (a book from the British Trust for Ornithology and the RSPB that brings together leading writers and artists) author Robbie Cowen laments their decline with beautiful words for fond memories:
“We forget that you were once as common as coal; little coal-black bird. Stumpy, dumpy. The wire-dotter; pylon swarmer. Camped out on our ledges and trees, screaming England’s towns down. Noisy as a classroom on the last day of term”.
Red Sixty Seven is a truly stunning book that raises awareness of our most at-risk birds. Proceeds from the book are also enabling scientists to carry out important research to secure a future for the species that appear in its pages, so it’s worth grabbing a copy if you haven’t already done so.
This image was captured on one of our last walks before lockdown. We were walking past the playground at Ayr beach when I spotted this lone starling being buffeted by the strong sea breeze. Unfortunately, the light was quite flat, but you can still see the pink, purple, green and blue feathers that make up their signature plumage.
I hope to get back to the seaside as soon as it is safe to do so. I am probably looking forward to some chips by the sea nearly as much as this bird would be looking forward to any leftovers I might accidentally drop.