Juvenile European Starlings Molting
Unlike their greenish-black iridescent parents, this year’s young European Starlings had a drab gray-brown plumage through the summer. During late summer and fall all starlings molt and black speckled feathers grow in. There is a brief period of time when juveniles still have a pale tan head, before it, too, becomes speckled. Even though both juvenile and adult European Starlings resemble each other by late fall, it is possible to tell this year’s young from adult birds. First-year starlings have more white speckles than adults, and their speckles are heart-shaped, as opposed to the V-shaped speckles of their parents.
One of the field marks I look for with starlings is the yellow bill, but this juvenile’s bill looks black. When does the yellow appear?
October 8, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Hi Rob,
Juvenile starlings have dark bills through their first summer and fall and up until late winter, when their bills turn yellow during the breeding season. Adult starlings have dark bills in the fall and winter, and yellow during spring and summer.
October 8, 2012 at 3:18 pm
What is the tree with the red berries called? BBS
October 8, 2012 at 4:42 pm
I’m afraid I don’t know. It is definitely cultivated and was planted there. In the Malus family is my best shot. Sorry!
October 8, 2012 at 5:11 pm
What a beautiful photograph–and bird. Actually I admire starlings at all times–their movements as well as looks. They have style!
October 8, 2012 at 5:37 pm
Your photos are exquisite!! This one would make a gorgeous card. I’m finding it hard to use your cards, I covet them too much! I miss you – how are you? I’m doing better these days, having good times with friends, keeps my head up. We just had a tree dedication to Richard, replacing a single-stem shadbush that we both loved that had been uprooted by the rip-rap work. 12 of his friends and I spread his ashes around the roots as the soil was piled on. We sang “Just like a tree that’s planted by the water, we shall not be moved!” I’ve got to figure out how to email more than one photo at a time so I can send some out.
Hope you are doing well – love, Nan
October 9, 2012 at 12:10 am