This fantastic wetland site is located north of Southport town centre and has some of the best wildlife in the region.
You might see big flocks of starlings in your garden at some times of year, but only a few at others. Ever wondered why? Starlings are sociable and gregarious birds. During autumn and winter, they gather in communal night-time roosts in places such as reedbeds and on buildings. They spend the day feeding in smaller flocks but as dusk approaches, they fly to these communal roosts.
Several thousand birds or even hundreds of thousands of starlings make spectacular scenes whirling around above the roost site. New flocks arrive from all directions all the time, before all the birds finally fly down to roost still chattering away to each other.
The sudden disappearance of starlings from an area in winter could be caused by a major roost site becoming unavailable to the birds. This forces them to relocate, resulting in the abandonment of some feeding areas. This is often the case in cities, where they are actively discouraged from buildings. Starlings are one of the most common of garden birds, its decline elsewhere makes it a Red List species.
Find out more about starlings. In addition to the UK breeding population being red-listed, starling numbers are declining across much of Europe, and we are getting fewer migrants than we did a few years ago. As a result, many winter roosts are now much smaller than in the past.
By February, our resident starlings start to move back to their breeding areas and form pairs, breaking away from the winter flocks. Soon after, those which have come to the UK for winter start their migration back north.
The same happens with finches, tits and other flocking species as their flocks break up at the start of the breeding season and they pair up. Through the morning snow, which congealed at times to sleet, sixty starlings, imported at great expense from Europe, accompanied Schieffelin on the ride from his country house into Central Park—the noisy, dirty fulfillment of his plan to introduce every bird mentioned by Shakespeare into North America.
Schieffelin loved Shakespeare and he loved birds…. The American Acclimatization Society, to which he belonged, had released other avian species found in Shakespeare—the nightingales and skylarks more commonly mentioned in his plays and poems—but none had survived.
There was no reason to believe that starlings would fare any better. Schieffelin opened the cages and released the birds into the new world, without the smallest notion of what he was unleashing. For someone who apparently loved birds, you have to admit this was a pretty daft plan. There was every reason to believe that the birds would die—it was bitterly cold and sleeting, and attempts with other species had led to dead birds.
But the tiny flock found shelter beneath the eaves of the American Museum of Natural History, just to the west of the park, and they survived the winter. And then they began to breed, and spread, and breed some more. It seems that the starlings some special characteristics that gave them an advantage over other bird species, Marche writes:. The protractor muscles of their beaks allow them to pry and to probe better than other birds. Interesting reading about the starlings , however we live in Dumfries and Galloway where there appear to be many starlings , so I was surprised to read that there has been a significant decline in numbers.
We regularly had at least twenty plus at a time on our feeders in the garden throughout June and July and some have returned during the last few weeks. I also note that there are no murmuration sites on the south west area in Scotland. Do the parents clean the nest while the chicks are there? I ask as I see the parents bring things out! We have had 20 to 30 starlings daily since April in our front garden ….. I have a large number of starlings that have bred here for at least five years, my husband counted 40 youngsters one day in the summer perched and waiting to feed.
This year, after the the main body of starlings had left our garden area for the summer, two juveniles remained. They were self sufficient in feeding but came daily to feed along with the sparrows. Is this usual behaviour? Did they need the company of the sparrows when the other starlings were away? More starlings are now returning to the garden, now that autumn is on its way. They are very inteligent and recognise the faces me and they are not afraid — even bring chicks to me — show them where to go for food.
I have many photos, videos of them and long hours of joy and laugh too. Starling must be my favourite bird, they are comical to watch. They come to our garden in great numbers, thirty easily just descend on the tables, the noise is hilarious. Garden pirates! I love them. We had no Starlings in our garden for the past 4 years,we feed all manner of other birds from bird tables,feeders and the ground. There are mature plants and shrubs which provide insects ,slugs and snails.
Is this en route on their migratory path or do you think they might stay for the Summer? We live close to the sea on the South Coast. He says any mother will feed any starling offspring even if it belongs to another mother. I see one offspring following one parent, so who is correct? I have enjoyed watching the starlings bring there babies to feed this year and I am sure we are on a second clutch. Are starlings common in North America?
Every year for one day occasionally two consecutive days a flock flies in …at least a hundred, maybe two. They swoop in together….. It is always on an early winter day in December or January, and usually after a snowfall, either light or heavy.
Today there is a heavy ground cover, but since it is the first snow, there is a lot of tree debris on the top of the snow. They are reddish brown in varying degrees with all of those speckles I am not sure they are Starlings, but they sure look like they could be.
I live in southern New York State. If anyone can help me make a good identification, I would sure appreciate it. Whatever they are they are a beautiful sight to behold. And, their take offs and landings make such a beautiful sound. I love in George south africa and every March the starlings arrive in huge swarms and do their dancing in the sky for Hi, I have we live in Derbyshire a year ago we had 2 starlings, now afer lots of feeding and peace we have over 40 with about 15 or more babies they truly are amazing to watch.
Never seen them here before. Truly stunning displays but there are now be hundreds of them roosting in the conifers at the back of our house — been there for the last three nights.
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