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"If
you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures
from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will
have men who will deal likewise with their fellow
man." ~St. Francis of Assisi
The
purpose of Starling Talk is to give assistance to
people who have found an injured or orphaned European
Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) or House Sparrow (Passer
domesticus). My name is Jackie Collins, and I am
a former Federal and State permitted wildlife rehabilitator.
I created this website several years ago after it
became apparent that many wildlife rehabilitators
were refusing to accept European Starlings. I felt
there was a need to provide basic information to
people who found Starlings and House Sparrows that
were in need of help, and were unable to find a
wildlife facility that would take them.
I hope you will read this recently published article
in the New York Times. It is a heartwarming story
about raising a baby starling in NY City. Click here: The
Starling Chronicles
You
will find the following sections on my website.
Is
Raising A Starling or Sparrow Right For You?
Did
you know that raising a baby bird is NOT right for everyone? If you
have found a baby starling and are considering raising it, please read this
webpage first! |
Baby Starling and
House Sparrow Links
See photos to help you identify a
baby European Starling or House Sparrow. Read information about keeping a starling or sparrow
nestling warm, what to feed it, how often to handfeed it, weaning, and raising
for release. |
House Sparrows
House Sparrow Information |
Adult Starling Diet
Read details about a proper daily
diet for adult pet European starlings. Scroll through helpful lists of good
treat foods, foods to avoid, and recipes. Links to insect
suppliers can be found on this page. |
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Pet Starlings - A section devoted to pet
starling owners. Webpages filled with info about
pet starling care, visually
sexing a starling, cages, helpful tips from
pet starling owners, a story about
"Kuro", the oldest captive starling, and
Mozart's Starling.
You can also watch videos
of starlings talking. Some neat starling items
you can purchase can be found here. |
Starling Health
Health issues in European starlings. Go here
to learn the signs of a sick bird and to see
important information about choosing an avian
vet. Detailed instructions about bone fracture
repair can be found here as well as photos.
Also, a page on the dangers of non-stick cookware. |
Photos
Photo albums showing gorgeous pet birds from the Starling Talk message board.
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Links
A
webpage containing links to pet starling webpages and other helpful bird-related
websites. |
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Starlings
This
section includes a general
European Starling information page, for
those who want to learn more about European
Starlings. There is a page on frequently
asked questions from the message board,
one listing some good books
on starlings and other wild birds. Also, a
series of pictures of wild
baby starlings from the egg to fledging.
Want to know how birds learn their song, go
to: Learning
to Sing. For information on the impact
of starlings on other cavity nesters, as well
as conservation links click here: Starlings
and Cavity Nesters
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Message
Board -- Aug. 22, 2011 Update: The Starling Talk Message Board has been moved to a new server, updated, and re-opened for member use. |
It
is not my purpose to promote starlings or sparrows as pets, as I believe that they should
be free. However that is not always possible with a baby bird who has
been raised alone without other birds to interact with, for it will imprint
on its human caretaker. Since humans are unable to teach it the things it
would have learned from its parent birds, its chances of being able to survive
in the wild will be greatly reduced.
Wild Birds
Please
be aware that in the U.S., wild birds other than
Starlings, House Sparrows and Pigeons are illegal
to have without Federal Wildlife Permits. If you
live in the U.S. and have a different bird species
please contact a wildlife rehabber. Some rehabbers
will not accept Starlings, House Sparrows, Pigeons,
and some other birds, please check to be sure that
they will rehab your bird before turning it over
to them. To find a rehabber, click on the following
link, or call a local avian vet for information
on finding a rehabber close to you.
Locate
a Wildlife Rehabilitator
Starlings and Sparrows
as Pets
Even
though European starlings are not protected in most states, it is a good
idea to check with your state Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Some
states require a state rehab permit to have them even though they do not
protect them.
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