Curious Behavior Of Starlings

Starlings, though an introduced bird in New Zealand, are very common and especially so in the rural landscape.

We have two types of grass grub and they tend to be the main diet of Starlings, although they certainly eat earthworms, insects and some fruits.

Farmers encourage Starlings on their properties by providing nest boxes but the nest in buildings and the mess they make is considerable - not to mention the smell!

One pair regularly nested under the cowling of my tractor - on top of the radiator - well the same pair? No because one was chopped in half one time with the fan blade! But when there were chicks, the parents would follow the tractor around and when chance permitted, they would feed their young - each year the chicks fledged.

As I watched on the lawn in front of our house, I saw Starlings doing this sort of thing. Now you may think this was just normal preening - but no. Individually each would go to the same spot pick something from the grass and 'put' it under it's wing! Like applying deodorant! They 'preened' in no other part of their body and always they picked something up.

So I went out to take a look and there was an ant nest. Just the little black ants in a not very strong nest that are not necessarily common.

I can imagine the birds eating the ants, and I can imagine the ants climbing on to their attacker and biting, but only under the wing? Maybe, maybe not.

Just a curious thing