Baby Starlings by the dozens

Common Starling

Common Starling

Over recent weeks we have had about ten pairs of Common Starlings nesting in various hollows around the garden and the nearby mallee scrub. Over the last week or so the parents have been kept busy feeding them, flying to and fro with food in a frantic attempt to quell the begging chicks.

Now the babies are out of the nest and populating various bushes and trees around our house. They are making a terrible racket with their persistent calling.

I’ll be pleased when they form loose flocks with the young from neighbouring scrub areas and head off elsewhere. Every year in October hundreds of Common Starlings form flocks of hundreds – even thousands of individuals. I’m not sure where they end up, but during November through to about February there are very few, if any, left around here. My guess is that they head either up into the fruit growing areas in the Adelaide Hills or up stream to the Riverland districts, also extensive fruit growing areas. Some may even head off to the Barossa and Clare Valley grape vines or even to the wine districts of south east South Australia.

Being purely selfish in these matters, I’m pleased that they do not hang around in our own orchard. They must sense that we are very poor orchardists and that we usually have very little fruit on our little collection of trees.

 

3 Responses to “Baby Starlings by the dozens”

  1. melissa says:

    hi again thanks for getting back to me about my fly away magpie. can you please tell me if she has joined up with a family will they teach her to hunt? she has never had to fend for herself and i dont know if she could find food? also there was a male in her avery a week or so ago and then my magy began to act strang (sitting on my daughters head and pulling her hair out) do you think she is nesting? and if so will the male introduce her into his family? i would really appreciate any info you have, i have had her for three years and im so worried about her.. thanks so much melissa

  2. Trevor says:

    Melissa – I have replied to your private email address.

  3. […] Baby Starling by the dozens […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *