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What the sources say

European StarlingSturnus vulgaris

Every figure, record and mechanism on the European Starling profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 56 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan

Sturnus vulgaris (common starling). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan.

The page saysThe iridescent mimic
The source saysEuropean starlings are also accomplished mimics
The page saysFarmland, grassland, towns and cities
The source sayssavanna or grassland chaparral chaparral Other Habitat Features urban urban suburban suburban agricultural
The page saysNative mainly across Europe, North Africa and Asia, from Central Siberia to the Azores
The source saysDispersed mainly over its natural Palearctic region (from Central Siberia in the east and the Azores in the west to Norway in the north and the Mediterranean in the south)Note: ADW's own glossary defines Palearctic as 'Europe and Asia and northern Africa'
The page saysintroduced to North America in 1890
The source saysstarlings were introduced to North America in 1890
The page sayscentipedes, spiders, moths and earthworms
The source saysThe most common animals eaten by the starling are centipedes, spiders, moths, earthworms.
The page saysberries, seeds and fruit
The source saysThe most popular plants are berries, seeds, apples, pears, plums, and cherries.
The page saysIt grows to about 21.5 centimetres long
The source saysAdult starling males and females mature to a length of about 21.5 centimeters (8.5 inches)
The page saysnative mainly across Europe, North Africa and Asia, from Central Siberia in the east to the Azores in the west
The source saysDispersed mainly over its natural Palearctic region (from Central Siberia in the east and the Azores in the west to Norway in the north and the Mediterranean in the south)Note: ADW's own glossary defines Palearctic as 'Europe and Asia and northern Africa'
The page saysStarlings were introduced to North America in 1890
The source saysstarlings were introduced to North America in 1890
The page saysFor food protected by a tough skin or shell, it uses a technique called open-bill probing: it pushes its bill into the food, then pries it open by widening its beak to expose what is inside
The source saysIt uses a "prying" and "open-bill probing" technique to allow them access foods that are protected by tough skins or shells. The birds insert their bill into the food, pry it open by widening their beaks, and expose the nourishment that is found inside.
The page saysThe animals it eats most often are centipedes, spiders, moths and earthworms
The source saysThe most common animals eaten by the starling are centipedes, spiders, moths, earthworms.
The page saysits most popular plant foods are berries, seeds, apples, pears, plums and cherries
The source saysThe most popular plants are berries, seeds, apples, pears, plums, and cherries.
The page saysVertebrates are on the menu too
The source saysFoods eaten include seeds, insects, vertebrates, invertebrates, plants, and fruits
The page saysStarlings are accomplished mimics as well
The source saysEuropean starlings are also accomplished mimics
The page saysThey often copy the songs or sounds of other birds and animals, such as frogs, goats and cats, and even mechanical sounds
The source saysoften copying songs or sounds of other birds and animals (frog calls, goats, cats), or even of mechanical sounds
The page saysMales' songs are highly variable: they warble, click, whistle, creak, chirrup and gurgle
The source saysThe songs of males are highly variable and have many components. They warble, click, whistle, creak, chirrup, and gurgle.
The page saystags: omnivore
The source saysThe omnivorous European Starling can adapt to numerous kinds of food.
The page saystags: agricultural
The source saysurban urban suburban suburban agricultural
The page saystags: urban
The source saysurban urban suburban suburban agricultural

Source
02

British Trust for Ornithology

Starling, Sturnus vulgaris: BirdFacts. British Trust for Ornithology.

The page sayslarger British winter roosts can top a million birds
The source sayslarger roosts can number over a million birds
The page saysMainly soil invertebrates
The source saysThe Starling mainly feeds on soil invertebrates
The page saysan adult typically weighs around 85 grams
The source saysAll adults 85±9.9 g (73.3-98 g, N=24304)
The page saysThe dark-looking bird is colourful up close: its breeding plumage is iridescent green, blue and purple, and in winter it is spotted with silver
The source saysAt close quarters, the dark-looking Starling is a colourful bird; its breeding plumage is iridescent green, blue and purple and it is spotted with silver in the winter
The page saysA starling that reaches breeding age has a typical life expectancy of 5 years
The source saysTypical life expectancy of bird reaching breeding age 5 years
The page saysBTO's record for a ringed bird, set in 2001, is 17 years, 7 months and 25 days
The source saysMaximum age from a ringed bird 17 years, 7 months, 25 days (set in 2001)
The page saysThe starling mainly feeds on soil invertebrates
The source saysThe Starling mainly feeds on soil invertebrates
The page saysIn Britain and Ireland, starling numbers increase dramatically in winter as birds arrive from northern Europe, and the larger roosts can number over a million birds
The source saysStarlings can be found across Britain & Ireland except for the highest peaks. Numbers increase dramatically during the winter months when birds arrive from northern Europe and larger roosts can number over a million birds.
The page saysIn the UK, where it's native, BTO figures show the breeding population fell 61% between 1995 and 2024
The source saysUK breeding population -61% (1995 to 2024)
The page saysThe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species rates it Least Concern globally
The source saysIUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global) Least Concern
The page saysThe British Trust for Ornithology lists the starling as Red-listed among the UK's Birds of Conservation Concern, because of a sharp decline in its breeding population since the 1960s
The source saysThe species is on the UK Red List due to a sharp breeding population decline since the 1960s. ... UK Birds of Conservation Concern Red listed
The page saysweightKg: 0.085
The source saysAll adults 85±9.9 g (73.3-98 g, N=24304)Note: 85 g converted to kilograms

Source
03

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021

Sturnus vulgaris. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T22710886A166360937.

The page saysGlobally, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species rates the European starling Least Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).Note: category read through GBIF's copy of the assessment, per docs/fact-check.md

Source
04

Prince, Riede & Goller 2011

Prince, Riede & Goller (2011). Sexual dimorphism and bilateral asymmetry of syrinx and vocal tract in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Journal of Morphology.

The page saysA voicebox with two independent sound sources, which in males handle mostly low notes on the left and higher ones on the right
The source saysThe songbird syrinx consists of two independent sound sources ... In males, the left syrinx produces mostly low frequencies, while the right one is used for higher notes.
The page saysTwo sound sources, one bird.
The source saysThe songbird syrinx consists of two independent sound sources
The page saysThe songbird syrinx, or voicebox, holds two independent sound sources
The source saysThe songbird syrinx consists of two independent sound sources
The page saysIn a male starling the left one produces mostly low frequencies, while the right one is used for higher notes
The source saysIn males, the left syrinx produces mostly low frequencies, while the right one is used for higher notes.
The page saysMales have a bigger syrinx, the birdsong organ, built up with extra muscle and larger skeleton parts, and the size gap between the sexes runs to about 35%
The source saysMales have a larger syrinx with the size difference attributable to increased muscle mass and three enlarged elements of the syringeal skeleton. ... The sexual dimorphism of the syringeal size is smaller in starlings (35%) than in zebra finches (100%)
The page saysFemales sing less often and with a smaller range of songs than males do
The source saysFemale starlings exhibit smaller vocal repertoires and sing at lower rates than males.

Source
05

Storms et al. 2019

Storms et al. (2019). Complex patterns of collective escape in starling flocks under predation. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.

The page sayswhose flocks can burst into a "flash expansion" after a falcon attacks
The source saysflash expansion was the only event occurring solely after an attack and never before it
The page sayssix distinct flock escape patterns under falcon attack
The source saysWe distinguished six patterns of collective escape by starling flocks in reaction to the peregrine falcon
The page saysOver two winters in Rome, researchers filmed peregrine falcons hunting flocks of thousands of starlings near two urban roosts
The source saysDuring two winter seasons (January–March 2006 and December–March 2006–2007), data were collected on flocks of European starlings at two urban roosting sites (Termini and Eur) in Rome, Italy. These roosting locations are spaced about 10 km from each other and are both regularly visited by peregrine falcons
The page saysThey distinguished six patterns of collective escape, among them a sudden "flash expansion" and a "wave event"
The source saysWe distinguished six patterns of collective escape by starling flocks in reaction to the peregrine falcon, namely blackening, wave event, split, flash expansion, cordon and vacuole
The page saysThe pattern depended partly on the threat
The source saysthe specific type of collective escape depends on the collective pattern that precedes it and on the level of threat posed by the raptor
The page saysa wave event was most likely when the falcon attacked at medium speed, while flash expansion was more frequent when it approached fast and attacked from above rather than from the side or below
The source saysA wave event was most likely to occur when the predator attacked at medium speed. Flash expansion occurred more frequently when the predator approached the flock at faster rather than slower speed and attacked from above rather than from the side or below.
The page saysFlash expansion came only after an attack, never before one
The source saysflash expansion was the only event occurring solely after an attack and never before it
The page saysabout a quarter of attacks were followed by one
The source says25% of all attacks were followed by a flash expansion
The page saysIn a study of peregrine falcons hunting starlings at two roosts in Rome
The source saysdata were collected on flocks of European starlings at two urban roosting sites (Termini and Eur) in Rome, Italy. These roosting locations are spaced about 10 km from each other and are both regularly visited by peregrine falcons
The page saysa sudden flash expansion was often followed by the flock splitting, but in many cases the flock stayed intact
The source saysFlash expansion was often followed by split, but in many cases, the flock showed resilience by remaining intact.
The page saysThe more often the falcon attacked during a hunt, the more often the flock's escape patterns turned up
The source saysDuring a hunting sequence, the frequencies of different patterns of collective escape increased when the frequency of attack by the raptor was higher.
The page sayswhose flocks, when a peregrine falcon attacks, can burst apart in a flash expansion or ripple in a wave event, two of the six escape patterns researchers recorded
The source saysWe distinguished six patterns of collective escape by starling flocks in reaction to the peregrine falcon, namely blackening, wave event, split, flash expansion, cordon and vacuole

Source
06

Shimbov & Allain 2022

Shimbov & Allain (2022). Smooth newt Lissotriton vulgaris preyed upon by European starling Sturnus vulgaris. The Herpetological Bulletin.

The page sayseven vertebrates such as newts
The source saysEuropean starlings have previously been reported to prey on amphibians, such as newts
The page saysOn 7 May 2021, beside a ditch in Cambridge, England, a female starling was filmed spending some time trying to subdue a smooth newt before swallowing it
The source saysOn 7 May 2021 at 12:30 h during a walk along Jesus Ditch, Cambridge ... a female starling was observed searching for food ... The starling spent some time trying to subdue the newt before ingesting it ... We thank Rhona Watson for sharing this observation and her video footage with us
The page saysThat single observation is the first definitive evidence of the species preying on smooth newts
The source saysthe current observation provides the first definitive evidence of S. vulgaris preying upon L. vulgarisNote: 'single' keeps the note's scope: it reports one observation ('the current observation')
The page saysStarlings are opportunistic feeders, and their wide range and flexible foraging suggest a diverse diet: berries, seeds and fruits, arthropods from the soil, and even vertebrates
The source saysEuropean starlings are opportunistic feeders ... The species' wide geographical distribution, range of habitats, and adaptability of foraging techniques, suggests a diverse diet that includes berries, seeds, and fruits, along with arthropods from the subsoil or soil surface, and even vertebrates
The page saysNewts had been reported as starling prey before
The source saysEuropean starlings have previously been reported to prey on amphibians, such as newts
The page saysa 2022 note on one starling swallowing a smooth newt in Cambridge, England, was the first definitive evidence of that particular pairing
The source saysthe current observation provides the first definitive evidence of S. vulgaris preying upon L. vulgarisNote: 2022 is the note's publication year (Herpetological Bulletin 161, per the reference); the observation itself is dated 7 May 2021

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.