In Drifting Amalgams, my science fiction novel series, one of the main conflicts is not a willful act, so I followed a path of research to find unwitting antagonists in real life. As it turns out, science experimentation has left us with a wealth of stories about accidental invasions.
Well, invasive species that is.
An invasive species is one that, simply put, is introduced to a non-native environment and overpopulates the newfound area–often resulting in unfortunate ecological consequences. Enter the European starling.
Never heard of the common starling? Let’s talk about what made them so common and why they can be found throughout North America.
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Check out the YouTube version of this blog post.
The European Starling: A Quick Overview
The European starling is known by a few names, including common starling, starling, and, scientifically, Sturnus vulgaris. Its most notable physical attributes are its black sheen and starred wingtips.
A softbill bird, the European starling is an omnivore–eating insects, fruits, and seeds.
And while you may not have heard of them, what you may have heard is their chatter–because they are quite talkative and very loud. Small, but mighty, this bird can grow up to 23cm. (or 9in.), and they have been known to elicit many noise complaints from nearby humans. The starling proclivities for communal roosting, flocking, and foraging in large numbers can turn any occasion into a party.
European Starling Love: A Shakespearean Story
In 1890, a group of people decided to share the beauty of Shakespeare with the world, avian style. This group’s ambition was to introduce all the birds mentioned by William Shakespeare into the United States.
Interestingly, there is only one brief mention of the European starling in Henry IV. That’s it. Three sentences in one play, and 60-80 starlings were released in Central Park. A year later, another 40-80 were released, and an invasive species was born.
For those of you who didn’t bother to math the numbers I just gave, that means up to 160 starlings were introduced into North America in one year’s time.
Where the European starling is concerned, the Shakespearean lovers got their wish. These birds mate up to twice annually and have 3-6 eggs per pairing. And thanks to their adaptability, at last count there were roughly 150 million starlings in North America.
Their numbers have resulted in destroyed crops, reduced food for other avian species, and the spread of disease amongst humans. Due to their non-native status and their threat to native species and humans they are one of just three species excluded from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which protects wild birds from human interference.
How interesting to be condemned for surviving in an environment that it didn’t choose to migrate to
What’s so Special about the European Starling?
As I mentioned, there are a lot of invasive species. So why did I choose the European starling as the center of the Drifting Amalgams’ accidental invasion?
Their small size and mimicry ability are useful traits for many different situations. Additionally, being well-known for fitting into small crevices means that starlings can be portrayed as stealthy or even as a creature that others are oblivious to in certain situations.
As a bonus, they are superb mimics. They can blend in with flocks of other bird species quite easily. In fact, they are known to join groups of blackbirds–blending in with little notice from human observers
Additionally, they can replicate the sounds of other birds and animals. They can even make mechanical sounds, making it difficult to discern the auditory difference between them and nearby machinery.
I also like their somewhat communal nature–as noted by their proximal nesting sites and tendency towards murmuration. A sense of community is the basis of a society that can communicate and work together.
Their history and characteristic traits make the European starling a great sci fi world building choice.
Until next time, stay curious.
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