Cavity-Nesting Birds of North American Forests: Agriculture Handbook 511Scott, Virgil E.
Science
Cavity-Nesting Birds of North American Forests: Agriculture Handbook 511
Scott, Virgil E.
Birds -- Nests; Birds -- North America; Cavity-nesting birds -- North America; Forest birds -- North America
Habitat: Starlings breed in various habitats that provide adequate
nestling food (Troetschler 1976) but are perhaps most numerous in
suburban and rural habitat where suitable nesting sites abound. Kalmbach
(1928) noted that starlings prefer thickly settled agricultural areas
and stated that “They are partial to human association....” During
establishment in the United States, starlings first settled in lowland
areas and are still abundant there (Small 1974, Royall 1966, Bent 1950).
In a southeast Ontario test, starlings preferred old field habitat over
five other habitats when sufficient nest sites were available (Gibo et
al. 1976).
Nest: Cavities in trees, telephone poles, or fence posts, in drainpipes,
mail boxes, or buildings, and in haystacks and cliffs have been used for
nesting, as have burrows and open nests of other species (Kessel 1957,
Bent 1950). Natural nest sites seem to be preferred over nest boxes
(Planck 1967). Competition between starlings and native species for
nesting cavities usually favors the starling, but most native species
seem to breed in some habitats where starlings are not numerous.
Food: Analysis of contents of 2,750 starling stomachs taken in the
northeastern states showed 57 percent animal materials such as insects,
millipeds, spiders, molluscs, and a few crustaceans. Insects such as
weevils, ground beetles, and plant-feeding scarabaeids such as May
beetles were especially important. Of the 43 percent vegetable material,
wild fruit was most important, but cultivated cherries, vegetable
material, grain, and seeds of various sorts were also used (Kalmbach
1928). In other areas, grapes, blueberries, figs, and other fruit, truck
crops, sprouting crops, and prepared livestock feed are eaten.
Crested myna
_Acridotheres cristatellus_
L 9″
[Illustration]
Habitat: The crested myna is native to the plains and lowlands of
cultivated southern China, and was introduced in Vancouver, B.C., Canada
in the 1890’s. Although the myna has been reported in the states of
Washington and Oregon, most of the population is in Greater Vancouver
and Vancouver Island. Mynas are apparently dwellers of urban and nearby
open field areas (Mackay and Hughes 1963).
Nest: In urban areas, mynas nest in almost any enclosed area, including
bird boxes intended for other birds. In wooded areas, holes made by
flickers and other woodpeckers seem to be preferred (Bent 1950).
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