Population status

European Starling
(Sturnus vulgaris)

European Starling populations are well monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey, which indicates a steady and significant population decrease since about 1970 (more than 70% loss in abundance in Canada) and throughout its North American range. The decrease is apparent to varying degrees in all Bird Conservation Regions (BCR) across the country (results for all BCRs with reasonably reliable results are displayed below), and has continued in Canada through the most recent decade (2006-2016). A national population goal has not been established for this introduced species.

 

Population goal and acceptable levels of variation

Species/groupGoalLower levelUpper level
European StarlingNot applicableNot applicableNot applicable

Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis

Additional information on: Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis

Table 1: Population trends by geographic area
Geographic areaTime Period Table 1 - footnote 1 Annual trend Table 1 - footnote 2 Limits
LowerUpper
Canada Select to view graph of the geographic area: Canada 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-2.6-3.1-2.2
Canada Select to view graph of the geographic area: Canada 2006-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis2006-2016-1.8-2.9-0.7
Northern Pacific Rainforest Select to view graph of the geographic area: Northern Pacific Rainforest 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-3.8-5.2-2.4
Boreal Taiga Plains Select to view graph of the geographic area: Boreal Taiga Plains 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-1.5-2.8-0.3
Boreal Softwood Shield Select to view graph of the geographic area: Boreal Softwood Shield 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-3.3-5.3-1.5
Great Basin Select to view graph of the geographic area: Great Basin 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-4.4-5.4-3.3
Northern Rockies Select to view graph of the geographic area: Northern Rockies 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-5.4-6.7-4.1
Prairie Potholes Select to view graph of the geographic area: Prairie Potholes 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-0.8-1.50
Boreal Hardwood Transition Select to view graph of the geographic area: Boreal Hardwood Transition 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-3.1-3.8-2.4
Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain Select to view graph of the geographic area: Lower Great Lakes / St. Lawrence Plain 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-2.2-2.6-1.8
Atlantic Northern Forest Select to view graph of the geographic area: Atlantic Northern Forest 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-2.2-2.7-1.8
North America Select to view graph of the geographic area: North America 1970-2016; Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) - Canadian analysis1970-2016-1.4-1.6-1.3
 

References

  • Cabe, P.R. 1993. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Cabe, P.R. 1993. European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole Ed.). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. (Link)
  • Freeman, S.N., R.A. Robinson, J.A. Clark, B.M. Griffin and S.Y. Adams. 2002. Population dynamics of Starling Sturnus vulgaris breeding in Britain: an integrated analysis. pp. 121–139 in: Investigation Into the Causes of the Decline of Starlings and House Sparrows in Great Britain. Crick, H.Q.P., R.A. Robinson, G.F. Appleton, N.A. Clark and A.D. Rickard, Eds. Research Report 290. BTO, Thetford, U.K.
  • Granbom, M. and H.G. Smith. 2006. Food limitation during breeding in a heterogeneous landscape. The Auk 123 (1): 97–107.
  • Robinson, R.A., G.M. Siriwardena and H.Q.P. Crick. 2005. Status and population trends of Starling Sturnus vulgaris in Great Britain. Bird Study 52:252–260.