To many, the European Starling is not a beautiful bird. They are often seen in large groups this time of year, queuing up on phone lines, flying en mass down to the ground to forage for food, and then scurrying back up to the phone line. From afar they look like a plain dull black bird. They are actually duller looking in their breeding plumage (during the summer). The tips on their feathers become bright white heart-shapes during their non-breeding plumage; this is in contrast to most birds which develop their colorful plumages for breeding.
I share this information about European Starlings to prepare you for this week’s Bird Photograph of the Week. Taken by Emil Baumbach, it is a stunning portrait of one of these birds in non-breeding plumage eating bright red berries. A remarkable photograph of a most beautiful bird!
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Tremendous picture. I like the Starling, cool bird!