Photo: John Gould / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Spotless Starling
Sturnus unicolor
Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 83.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Sturnidae Starlings, Rhabdornises
- Genus Sturnus
- Species unicolor
Where it lives
Southwestern Europe and northern Africa: Iberian Pen., far southwestern France, Balearic Is., Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily; southwestern Morocco to northern Tunisia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 83.7 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spotless Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Spotless Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) is a species of bird in the Sturnidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL sw Europe and n Africa: Iberian Pen., far sw France, Balearic Is., Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily; sw Morocco to n Tunisia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 83.7 g, with a wing length of about 12.8 cm and a tail of around 6.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 826,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spotless Starling?
The Spotless Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 83.7 g.
Where does the Spotless Starling live?
The Spotless Starling is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL sw Europe and n Africa: Iberian Pen., far sw France, Balearic Is., Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily; sw Morocco to n Tunisia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Spotless Starling belong to?
The Spotless Starling (Sturnus unicolor) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Spotless Starling eat?
The Spotless Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Spotless Starling migrate?
The Spotless Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Spotless Starling endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Spotless Starling make?
1 real field recording of the Spotless Starling — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Spotless Starling's range?
The Spotless Starling has a mapped global range of about 826,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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