92 The Early Movement of Starlings into

by John Cranmer-Byng

The first arrival ofEuropean had been sighted. He began by Starlings (Stumus vulgaris) in thanking him for his notes about various communities in southern the strange birds. 1beycertainly Ontario had a greater impact on sound like Starlings." He ornithologists than the expansion mentioned the small flock seen at ofother species, such as the St. Catharines the previous year, as Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis well as a bird seen by J. H. Fleming cardinalis) and the House Finch in his garden at . "It ( Carpodacus mexicanus). The main certainly looks as ifStarlings were feature of the starling arrival was headed ourway. " Itwould hardly the relative speed atwhich they extend beyond dispersed and the relative growth of along the shores oflakes Ontario numbers once they had gotten a and Erie, Taverner guessed, "but its toe-hold. The first records in preference for highly cultivated Ontario were from St. Catharines localities may be severely felt there. where a small flock was observed We hope the comparative severity during the winter 191 ~2O ofwinters will discourage iteven (Taverner 1920), and from there." Hamilton in 1920 when R. Owen In the same letter Taverner then Merriman wrote to Taverner about called on all bird and nature some strange birds. (Snyder (1951) organizations to use their strongest stated in his book Ontario Birds influence to prevent importations that 1be first observation ofit in offoreign species in the future. He Ontario now on record concerned hoped that Merriman would keep a flock offour or five birds seen at an eye open for starlings, and Niagara Falls in the autumn of would not lose an opportunity to 1914," butwithoutgiving evidence procure specimens. Taverner also to corroborate this statement.) drew his attention to a recently Taverner's reply (5 February published work on 1be Economic 1921) is worth quoting in part Value ofthe Starling in the United because it shows how some States" (Kalmbach and Gabrielson ornithologists in Ontario were 1921). beginning to react to the starling Further records were reported. arrival now that unfamiliar birds Fleming saw a flock flying over his John Cranmer-Byng, 27 Idleswift Drive, Thornhill, Ontario lAJ 1K9

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1990 93

garden in the centre ofthe city in including Kingston, Hamilton, August 1920 (Fleming 1921). E. M. Kitehener, and London. By late in Dale reported starlings from that year starlings were present on London in 1920 (Dale 1921). The the outskirts ofToronto· in first specimen taken was in 1921 at considerable numbers. In the next Wolf Island near Kingston. year starlings were recorded from Taverner, in his position as senior 23 communities, including for the ornithologist at the National first time in Port Hope, Agincourt, Museum, kept some of his friends Milton, , Simcoe, and and fellow ornithologists across Chatham, linking up and informed on the progress consolidating positions already of the starling invasion as it occupied by earlier arrivals. Also in developed. He told William Rowan this year there was a considerable (15 May 1922) that it had reached extension of range eastward from Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, and Toronto and area. It was probably Chatham among other places. A in this year that starlings entered breeding record, also for 1922, Ontario through the Valley came from Burlington and a and joined those that had entered probable one from Fort Erie. Ontario by way of the shorelines of Rather than use short, lakes Ontario and Erie, in the area unconnected notes written by ofBrockville and Kingston. From various people at that time I then onwards the expansion of propose to give a broad account of starlings was rapid. In 1925, 24 how the starling became established communities reported starlings for in southern Ontario in the years the first time. Some of these were: from early 1920 to late 1926. To do Algonquin, Picton, Cobourg, this successfully, I intend to use the , Niagara-on-the-Lake, only extensive account ofthe Goderich, Blenheim, Ojibway. starling incursion into Ontario in Starlings moving eastwards along those years. This was the paper met others moving written for his Master's degree at westwards from Kingston. As a the University ofToronto in 1926 result, the range ofstarlings across by H. F. Lewis, at that time Chief southern Ontario was now Migratory Bird Officer for Ontario continuous. and (Lewis 1926). The earliest record of a nest By the year 1922 Lewis noticed discovered by Lewis was at two developments in the starlings' Burlington, Halton County, in May entry into Ontario. In this year 1922. This nest was built in a nesting was first reported; also this hollow, horizontal arm of a hydro can be seen as the year when the tower. In 1924, there were reports dissemination ofstarlings was ofnesting in eight places, and in beginning. During 1923 starlings 1925 from 11 places. Lewis gave a expanded into eight communities summary ofdistribution and

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abundance as of 31 May 1926 ofsecure shelters stretching 80 (pp. 13-16 with map on p. 14 miles or more through fertile showing known distribution in the habitat into Toronto. As Lewis province, May 1926). He wrote: commented, with a touch of irony, 'The total number ofplaces in "they could not have had a kinder Ontario from which records ofthe welcome, and that they took full starling have been received is 75, in advantage ofit is shown both by the 32 counties named below. their early appearance in Toronto Counties in which starlings have and by their present abundance been found breeding are marked along the lines of towers." with an asterisk" (Lewis 1926, Regarding the future prospects 1927). of the starling Lewis noted that it Lewis devoted three pages to the was not attracted to forest and "Manner ofDissemination". In tundra, butseemed to like human Ontario, starlings continued to neighbourhoods, and preferred to show a definite preference for low­ feed on land that had been lying, cultivated land. They avoided prepared for agriculture. Starlings, the rough, higher land between the he predicted, would probably Ottawa and SL Lawrence rivers and spread as far asJames Bay. The north of Lake Ontario, and extent to which starling numbers congregated in low-lying ground would grow in Ontario would where there was an abundance of depend, Lewis wrote in 1926, close-cropped grassland. One factor largely on whether or not they in their dissemination may be learned to migrate. In Europe credited to two lines ofsteel towers starlings migrated to a limited of the Hydro Power Commission of extent, while in the United States Ontario. Each tower had a they appeared to be partly horizontal, hollow tube offour migratory. In Canada itwas too inches diameter, open at both ends, soon to tell. But during March and supporting a row offour heavy April 1926 there appeared to be a insulators. Each tube was 19 feet pronounced increase in numbers long. The starlings soon found that between Toronto and Hamilton, the inside of these hollow tubes was and in the vicinity ofBeamsville, useful for nesting purposes in near SL Catharines, as though a spring and summer and for spring migration northwards were roosting all year. As a nesting site it bringing additional birds to the was inaccessible to predators, and flocks ofstarlings that had wintered provided a safe and sufficiently in those parts. In contrast, although sheltered place. No mammals, starlings had been nesting in the raptors, or human beings could get vicinity of Guelph since 1924, and at them in these hollow safe places. were seen there in the fall of 1925 When starlings first reached in flocks of50 or more, none were Niagara they found this double line seen to have overwintered there.

ONTARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1990 95

Presumably they migrated south he said, far outweighed its few that winter. damaging ones, but in countries Ornithologists in North America where it had become abundant it in the early 19208 were particularly was capable ofdoing serious harm. concerned about the effects ofthe "The bird is here, uninvited, and we fast-growing numbers ofstarlings are unable to oust it ifwe would. As on fruit and agricultural crops. The the bird increases in numbers, effect ofstarlings on food crops changes in its activities may be could be determined only by expected ... It is a wary and examining the contents of their unobtrusive species that has no stomachs and analysing what they need for legal protection, as is ate. A major study was made by E. shown by its rapid increase in R. Kalmbach and I. N. Gabrielson, numbers in Ontario in seven years." of the Biological Survey of the Lewis concluded that, ifat some United States Department of time in the future the starling's Agriculture (1921). The authors activities should become stated: "As an effective destroyer of economically unfavourable, terrestrial insects, including such "control measures should be pests as cutworms, grasshoppers, instituted immediately." Lewis and weevils, the starling has few added a bibliography of the equals among the bird population starling, including only published of the northeastern United States. records ofstarlings in Ontario, ... The most serious objection to principal references to the the starling on economic grounds economic status of the starling in arises from its destruction of foreign countries, and other cherries ..." (Lewis 1926 quoting publications referred to in the teXL Kalmbach and Gabrielson). (I have Two accounts ofrecords of compressed the material, quoting starlings in the Toronto district in part and paraphrasing part). the 19208 were published by Snyder Lewis devoted 12 pages to an and Baillie (1925, 19~). These analysis of87 starling stomachs vividly show when and where the obtained by him andJ. L Baillie, starlings spread. During the winter nearly all from the vicinity of of1925o24 members of the Brodie Toronto. His Table I, p. ~1, gives Club reported the starling regularly location and date when collected ­ from the county west ofToronto, mainly 1926. The remainder of the and flocks ofl()() were seen. During study contains some information on the nextwinter a flock of150 birds some aspects ofthe starling's "life was seen regularly at a garbage history". dump in Cedarvale Ravine. Stuan In his conclusion Lewis pointed Thompson, nephew ofErnest out that the starling in Ontario was Thompson Seton, collected two economically very useful. Its specimens in February 1925 at beneficial activities, at the present, Leaside in the Don Valley, first

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evidence that starlings had The release of60 European encircled the city, and reached the Starlings in City'S Central easterly sections. The 19~0 report Park in 1890, and a reinforcement traced the penetration ofstarlings ofanother 40 there in 1891, has into the central parts of the city passed by without any anniversary from the suburbs. During the celebrations to mark a Starling winter of 1927-28 local naturalists Centenary (Schneider 1990). What noted starlings regularly within the do individual ornithologists feel city centre. By the summer of 1928 about this omission? pairs were found nesting in the residential sections in bird boxes, Acknowledgement crevices in homes, and in I would like to thank Martin woodpecker holes. In the fall of McNicholl for reading the draft of 1928 a large congregation of my paper and suggesting a number starlings nightly invaded a section ofimprovements. Also for ofLawrence Park to roost. In the supplying me with several early fall of 1929 starlings again references to more recent literature congregated there, occupying a on such subjects as seasonal small woodlot together with distribution, migration, and cowbirds and grackles. Baillie assessments of the economic visited the site and estimated there importance ofstarlings. were about 5000 starlings there. The authors of this account Literature cited regarded the winter of 1929-~0 as a AftUriam OmilJlDlogists 'lJnUm. 198~. O1eck-list ofNorth American Birds. 6th edition. milestone in the local increase of Allen Pre!S Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. the starling, because pairs that had Burtt, H. E., and M. L Giltz. 1978. Seasonal nested in central areas now, for the distributional patterns and migrations of first time, remained behind for the starlings and blackbirds in North America. Bird-Banding 48:259-%71. winter. "They became a bird of the DfliI, E. M. S. 1921. Sw'lings in London, city's streets and back yards," the Ontario. Canadian Field-Naturalist authors commented (Snyder and ~5:1()(). Flmai'IIg,j H. 1921. The Starling (Slumus Baillie 19~0, p. 198). By the end of vulgans) at Toronto. Canadian Field­ the year 19~0 the "starlingization" Naturalist ~:15. of Ontario was well advanced. Their GodfrrJ, W. E. 1986. The Birds ofCanada, further spread in Ontario, Canada, revised edition. National Museum of Natural Science, Ottawa. and North America has been more KiJlmbadl, E. R. and I. N. GabrUlsI1l'l. 1921. The recently documented in several Economic Value ofthe Starling in the books and papers (Kessel 195~; United States. US Department of Burtt and Giltz 1978; AOU 198~; Agriculture, Bulletin No. 868. Washington DC. Speirs 1985; Godfrey 1986). (For a KIsSIl, B. 195~. Distribution and migration of recent assessment of the economic the European Starling in North America. value ofstarlings see Weatherhead Condor 55:49-67. Uwis, H. F.1926. A Distributional and et aL 1980.) Economic Study ofthe European Sw'ling

ONfARIO BIRDS DECEMBER 1990 97

in Onl2rio. Biology Department, in Toronto, 19l5O. Canadian Field- University ofToronto, paper written for Naruralist 44:197-98. MAdegree. SnydIr, LL 1951. Onl2rio Birds. Clarke Irwin Uwis, H. F. 1m. A Distributional and and Co, Toronto. Economic Srudy ofthe European Sl2rling ~'rS,) M. 1985. Birds ofOnl2rio, Vol. II. in Onl2rio. UniYer3ity ofToronto Srudies, Narural Heritage/Narural History Inc., Biological Series No. l5O, Toronto. Toronto. SdI1vid6, D. 1990. Sl2rling wars: on the Ta~ P. A. 1920. The Sw-ling in Canada. centenary ofits arrival in North America, Canadian Field-Naruralist ~4:99. Stumw vvl(aris is still awaiting a welcome. W,atlwlllad, P.), G. Cl4rlc,) R. Bider, and R Nature Canada 19(4):~~~9. D. Tilman. 1980. MOYementsofblackbirds SnydIr, LL and) L Bailli6. 1925. The and sl2rlings in southwestern Quebec and Increase and present status of the Sl2rling eastern Ontario in relation to crop (Stvrmu vvl(ans) in Toronto, 1925. damage and control. Canadian Field- Canadian Field-Naturalist ~9:149-50. Naruralist 94:75-79. ~ LL and) L Bailli6. 19!1O. The Increase and present status of the Starling Notes Probable Red-tailed Hawk predation on Herring Gull

At 1515h on ~ December 1989, we about five minutes, returned at observed an adult Red-tailed Hawk 1600h, and found the hawk still (Buteo jamaicrnsis) with feeding on the gull. The next day outstretched wings mantling a prey the carcass was frozen stiff, and item on the snow along Barnsdale there was no sign of the hawk. Road about 500m east ofMoodie A Herring Gull is an unusual Road, Nepean, Regional prey item, even for a species such as Municipality ofOttawa-Carleton. the Red-tailed Hawk which shows The hawk took flight as we such broad dietary adaptability. approached and an examination of Red-tailed Hawks have been the prey showed it to be a freshly- documented as taking a wide dead first-year Herring Gull (LATUS variety ofprey (summarized in argmtatus). Feathers had been Palmer 1988), but there are no stripped from the neck region, and reports ofRed-tails preying on any the neck, back of the head, and species ofgull nor any other upper back had been partly eaten. member of the order There was no damage to the wings Charadriiformes. Red-tails are or legs, no obvious signs of injury known to be carrion-feeders, but elsewhere or ofemaciation, and the the gull did not appear to have corpse was still limp and not frozen died from some other cause such as (the temperature in the afternoon being struck by a vehicle, which is was -20·C), indicating that it had highly unlikely as Barnsdale Road is died very recently. We left after a little-travelled and snow-paCked

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