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Mass Audubon State of the Birds

Find Bird Groups

European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris

The introduced and nearly ubiquitous European Starling can be found throughout Massachusetts wherever human settlements of any size exist, but their once massive flocks appear to be declining significantly in abundance.
Conservation Status
Introduced

Tracking This Bird In Massachusetts

Climate Vulnerability Score

No data
Mass Audubon Mean likelihood of occurrence (current)
Mass Audubon Mean likelihood of occurrence (2050)
Mass Audubon Absolute change in likelihood of occurrence
no data
U.S. Forest Service Climate Change Bird Atlas (Hadly Hi emissions scenario)a
No data available
National Audubon Societyb
No data available
a USFS model data for Massachusetts by 2100
b National Audubon Society's Climate Change Atlas was completed on a continental scale.

Breeding Bird Atlas

Atlas I Blocks
919
Atlas II Blocks
942
Percent of state occupied - Atlas I
94
Percent of state occupied - Atlas II
90
Percent change
96

Breeding Bird Survey

Annual trend 1966-2010
-5.2%
P-value
significant, declining
Number of routes
27
Recent trend 2000-2010
-5.7%

Christmas Bird Count

Trend (1963-2008)
0
Significantly different than zero
no
Trend (1963-1979)
3
Significantly different than zero
no
Trend (1979-2008)
-2
Significantly different than zero
yes

Habitat Usage

Breeding

Forested Wetland, Urban and Suburban

Wintering

Coastal, Grassland, Saltmarsh, Urban and Suburban