The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is a medium-sized passerine bird that is native to Europe and parts of Asia. However, it has been introduced and become naturalized in many other parts of the world, including North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The European Starling is known for its dark, iridescent plumage and ability to mimic sounds and human speech. But beyond their distinctive appearance and vocalizations, European Starlings are also extremely numerous, owing to their generalist diet and ability to thrive in human-altered environments. So just how many European Starlings are there in the world?
Europe
In their native European range, European Starling populations are estimated at anywhere from 75-200 million breeding pairs. The largest populations are found in Russia (up to 50 million pairs), Ukraine (up to 20 million pairs), Romania (up to 7 million pairs), and Turkey (up to 7 million pairs). Other countries with sizable breeding populations include Poland, Germany, Italy, France, and Spain. Overall, Europe accounts for around 150-300 million individual starlings.
North America
European Starlings were introduced to North America in the 1890s, with about 100 birds released in New York City. They spread rapidly across the continent, aided by habitat modification and agricultural development. Current breeding population estimates for North America range from 150-200 million birds, with the highest densities in the northeastern U.S. and Canadian prairie regions. The U.S. and Canada together likely support over 100 million breeding pairs.
South Africa
In South Africa, European Starlings were introduced around 1897. The population grew exponentially and now numbers from 10-15 million breeding adults across the country.
Australia and New Zealand
About 20 pairs of European Starlings were introduced to Australia in the 1850s. They are now found across most of southeastern and southwestern Australia, with total populations of around 3-4 million. In New Zealand, starlings have increased from an introduction of 100 birds in 1862 to around 7 million today.
Worldwide Population Estimates
Based on these regional totals, current worldwide population estimates for the European Starling are:
Region | Estimated Population (million) |
Europe | 150-300 |
North America | 150-200 |
South Africa | 10-15 |
Australia | 3-4 |
New Zealand | 7 |
This gives a total world population of approximately 320-530 million individual European Starlings. However, the true number likely falls closer to the lower end of that range, around 350-400 million birds worldwide.
Challenges to Estimating Global Populations
Estimating pan-continental bird populations is challenging for several reasons:
– Breeding bird survey coverage is incomplete across the starling’s global range. Many areas are poorly sampled or not surveyed at all.
– Population densities vary enormously across regions. More data is needed to accurately quantify numbers.
– Flock sizes change over the course of the year as birds congregate migration and winter. This complicates census efforts.
– Cryptic nesting habits make detection of breeding pairs difficult. Total numbers are hard to accurately extrapolate.
– Rapid reproduction enables fast population growth and fluctuations between years. Densities quickly change.
Trends and Threats
After an initial population boom across Europe, North America, Australia and other introduced regions, European Starling numbers are now declining in many areas. Contributing factors likely include:
– Habitat loss from modern agricultural practices
– Increased pesticide use reducing food sources
– Competition from other aggressive bird species
– Displacement by urban sprawl and building renovations eliminating nesting sites
However, starlings remain abundant and widespread overall. Given their adaptability, European Starlings will continue to maintain high global populations into the foreseeable future. Even with an eventual stabilization or gradual decline, their total numbers will remain in the hundreds of millions for decades to come.
Conclusion
In summary, current worldwide population estimates for the extremely successful introduced bird, the European Starling, fall in the range of approximately 350-400 million individual birds globally. However, arriving at a precise number remains challenging due to regional variabilities, flocking behavior, breeding habitat preferences, and rapid reproduction rates. While facing threats from modern agricultural practices and urbanization, European Starling populations are likely to remain robust for the foreseeable future due to the species’ resilience and adaptability. However, more comprehensive surveys and data analysis will be needed to pin down a definitive total count. For now, hundreds of millions of these familiar cavity nesters will continue to speckle fields, swarm cities, and chorus their infectious songs across their immense global range.