European Starling -- Sturnus vulgaris:
 One
of Shakespeare's birds again and an introduction
from Europe that has been tremendously successful in North America. You
are watching the descendants of about 100 birds released in Central Park.
You will find that a lot of papers have been published on starling behavior
and you will encounter them in the readings and lectures in this course.
A truly beautiful bird which you will come to appreciate if you take the
time to watch carefully. You can also get an "A" in the course if you
can tell the sexes of starlings apart just from watching them (see Rock
Doves for the "rules"). So, why is it so easy to tell males and females
apart in house sparrows and mallard ducks and cardinals, but not in pigeons,
starlings and sea gulls? There is a pattern here (sexually monomorphic
vs. sexually dimorphic) and there are at least two explanations for why
some species are one way and others the other -- any ideas??
Dumb bird, you say. Do not be mislead by the squeaky noises they make;
starlings have a large and complex vocal repertoire. Try teaching a chimpanzee
to talk; it has been done with starlings.
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