Picked this one off yesterday, one of many.... 
..interesting that he doesn't have his summer feathers.
Starling still has winter plumage!
- Thread starter Bob_O
- Start date
G
Guest
Guest
I killed a big sucker last week in winter plumage. Actually, I’m seeing quite a few in winter plumage.
Upvote 0
Oh no if they are wintering up already that is not a good sign. These birds arnt still in wi ter plummage they are already in winter plummage. Never a good sign. Oh nice shooting.
Upvote 0
Upvote 0
Probably immature. He hasn't fully matured into his adult feathers yet. It's a teenager. Sometimes they look like winter birds.
Upvote 0
I have never heard of winter feathers for starlings.
Heres what is said about starlings and their plumage from cornell lab of ornithology.
I live in MT and their feather pattern follows that description unless they are juveniles then they are just kinda brown until mature.
Heres what is said about starlings and their plumage from cornell lab of ornithology.
- Starlings turn from spotted and white to glossy and dark each year without shedding their feathers. The new feathers they grow in fall have bold white tips – that’s what gives them their spots. By spring, these tips have worn away, and the rest of the feather is dark and iridescent brown. It’s an unusual changing act that scientists term “wear molt.”
I live in MT and their feather pattern follows that description unless they are juveniles then they are just kinda brown until mature.
Upvote 0
"The new feathers they grow in fall have bold white tips – that’s what gives them their spots."
Thats it right there in what you referenced. The feathers for winter have white tips. But instead of getting new feathers in Spring, the white tips just wear off.
So here we are in the dead of summer and the Starling still has his winter tips.
Thats it right there in what you referenced. The feathers for winter have white tips. But instead of getting new feathers in Spring, the white tips just wear off.
So here we are in the dead of summer and the Starling still has his winter tips.
Upvote 0
Have seen this too, and never got a straight answer about why?
Best guess that's all it is is a guess, but suspect dominance may play some role. ???
Only seem to see in mature healthy birds.
Best guess that's all it is is a guess, but suspect dominance may play some role. ???
Only seem to see in mature healthy birds.
Upvote 0
The way it was worded made me think you were talking about molting and having different types of feathers for summer and winter. I guess its possible that some birds feathers dont wear as fast.
Upvote 0