About the Spotless Starling
The spotless starling is a passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is closely related to the common starling, but has a much more restricted range, confined to the Iberian Peninsula, Northwest Africa, southernmost France, and the islands of Sicily, Corsica and Sardinia. It is largely non-migratory.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The adult spotless starling is very similar to the common starling, but marginally larger (21–23 cm length; 70–100 g weight), and has darker, oily-looking black plumage, slightly purple- or green-glossed in bright light, which is entirely spotless in spring and summer, and only with very small pale spots in winter plumage, formed by the pale tips of the feathers. It also differs in having conspicuously longer throat feathers (twice the length of those on common starlings), forming a shaggy "beard" which is particularly obvious when the bird is singing. Its legs are bright pink.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Spotless Starling sounds like
Where the Spotless Starling lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Germany.
When to see the Spotless Starling
Peak activity in April · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Side by side: Common Starling vs Spotless Starling
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