European Starling Invasive Species Project

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The European Starling or Sturnus vulgaris is a brownish black bird speckled with white spots. The juvenile is slightly browner, while the fully grown bird is black and more lustrous. They are native to Eurasia and North Africa. They have a stout stature, with a short tail. The European Starling is invasive in North America. It was introduced in New York but quickly spread around the U.S. and Southern Canada. They range all the way from sea to sea, and from Florida to Alberta. They were first introduced in 1890, when a Shakespeare fanatic introduced approximately 100 starlings into central park. His dream was to see all of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s works introduced into North America. The starling population skyrocketed in the following hundred years, and the population today is around 200 million! Since its introduction, it has had many negative impacts on its environment. The main reason why starlings affect their environment so negatively is becaus...

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