The European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Ever had such a fondness for an author, that you wanted to recreate what they wrote, in real life? That’s exactly what Eugene Schieffelin did with the European Starling in Central Park, NYC, when he decided to introduce as many of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s works to North America as possible. After releasing around 100 starlings in 1890, these birds are now one of the most common across the United States, with a population of around 200 million. Their ability to permeate across the US is due largely to their quick reproduction and flexibility in habitat choices.
Despite the poetic motivation behind their introduction, the invasion of the starling has many negative impacts – potentially on native bird species, the agriculture industry through crop consumption, and even the aviation industry through flocks colliding with jet engines. Have the starlings invaded your city? Keep an eye out for their glossy black, purple and green spotted plumage next time you’re out!
Sources:
European Starling – New York Invasive Species Information. (n.d.). Retrieved July 29, 2021, from http://nyis.info/invasive_species/european-starling/
European Starling Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Retrieved July 29, 2021, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/overview
The birds of Shakespeare cause US trouble. (2014, April 24). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27055030
Zielinski, S. (n.d.). The Invasive Species We Can Blame On Shakespeare. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved July 29, 2021, from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-invasive-species-we-can-blame-on-shakespeare-95506437/
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