Differences between Owl and Starling

Owl and Starling are two classes of birds that belong to the Tytonidae and Sturnidae families respectively.

Owl is a large nocturnal bird. It has a round and flat face with hooked beaks, static eyes, and large ears. Its neck is flexible and can turn over 180 degrees on both sides. This allows the bird to look around and backward even with its fixed eyes. The bird cannot see color but its visual clarity is sharp. Its ears are asymmetrical but acute in discerning sounds from different dimensions. Owl is commonly seen standing in upright position. Its plumage is soft and heavy. The color varies for different species, from grey to brown to reddish brown. The plumage mostly have markings on them, camouflaging the owl amidst dense foliage. The fossils of owls are dated back to over 65.5 million years. At present, there are about 250 species in the Owl family.

Starlings are resplendent song birds that are short and stout. There are about 110 species of Starlings across the globe. The birds have short tails and flat wings. Their bills are slender, pointed, and yellow. They are fierce, aggressive, greedy, and smart birds. The plumage of these birds is a sparkling purple green during summers, while they turn brown with white spots in winters. The feet are strong and bright orange or brown in color. Starlings are known as noisy birds. They can produce a plethora of sounds, like chirping, chattering, whistling, and rattling. Further, they can imitate the calls of other birds, human voices and words, mobile ringtones, car honks, and several other sounds.

Where are Owl and Starling found?

Owls live in diverse habitats such as forests, mountains, plains, and deserts. The Snowy Owl lives in the frigid regions of North Pole. Species like Great Horned Owl and Barred Owl can be found in cities. Owls can be found in all countries of the world except Antarctica.

Starlings are commonly seen in agricultural lands, parks, gardens, grasslands, and cities. The bird is native to Europe and Asia. Having been introduced to other parts of the world, they can also be found in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, North America, Canada, and Caribbean Islands.

What do Owl and Starling eat?

Owls are carnivorous birds. Their diet depends on food sources in their environment. Owls eat insects, rodents, crabs, snails, small birds, fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

Starlings are omnivores. They forage mainly on the ground. So, they chiefly eat larvae, worms, insects, beetles, grasshoppers, snails, seeds, nuts, and fruits.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Owl and Starling

• Owl do eat Fish while Starling may not eat Fish.
• Both Owl and Starling eat Frogs.
• Both Owl and Starling eat Lizards.
• Both Owl and Starling eat Snakes.
• Owl do eat Turtles while Starling may not eat Turtles.
• Owl do eat Squirrels while Starling may not eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Owl while Starling do not eat Gophers.
• Baby Ducks are commonly eaten by Owl while Starling do not eat Baby Ducks.
• Owl do eat Mice while Starling may not eat Mice.

Size of Owl and Starling?

When it comes to size, The owls measure 0.4-2.3 feet in length with a wingspan of 1-6.6 feet. Elf Owl, which is the smallest in the family, is about 0.5 feet tall. Blakiston Fish Owl, the largest Owl species, is 2.3 feet tall.. Starlings are tiny birds. They are about seven to nine inches long with a wingspan of 12-17 inches. Nias Hill Myna is the largest in the family with a length of nearly 14 inches.

The weight of Owls varies for different species. Elf Owl weighs about 1.5 ounce, while the large North American Owl weighs about 8.8 pounds. while Starlings weigh about 2.04-3.5 ounces. Nias Hill Myna weighs the heaviest among all Starling species at 14 ounces.

Where do Owl and Starling nest?

Owls do not build nests. They use holes in trees, quiet places in barns and buildings, caves, natural cavities in river banks, and nests of other birds to lay their eggs. The female Owl starts incubating the eggs when the first one is laid. She lays eggs two to three days apart. Consequently, the eggs do not hatch synchronously. In the nesting season, the female develops additional feathers, called brood patch, on her belly to provide warmth during incubation. The eggs hatch 32 days after incubation. The young ones fledge when they are six to eight weeks old.

Starlings make their nests in scattered colonies. The nests, made of grass and twigs, are mostly built in holes and cavities of trees and buildings. They are usually located 10 to 30 feet above the ground. The eggs are oval and a soft green or blue in color. The female bird largely incubates the eggs for about 12 days. The chicks get fed by both parents in the nest for three weeks, after which they fledge.

How long do Owl and Starling live?

The average lifespan of Owls in the wild is five to 12 years. Larger Owls may live longer, sometimes up to 25 years. The oldest Owl, which was a female Great Horned Owl, turned 50 years in 2012. She lived in captivity at the San Francisco Zoo.

The average lifespan of Starlings is two to five years in the wild. They live longer in captivity. The wild birds roost in groups and migrate in winters to extend their lifespan. The life expectancy of Starlings is affected by high mortality of baby birds, scarcity of food, hunting, and predator attacks. The oldest lived starling was nearly 23 years old. It was found in the wild in Denmark.

Are Owl or Starling migratory birds?

Not all Owl species are migratory. Some relocate to warmer regions during winters. However, some Owls remain in their territories even in winters. The Great Gray Owl and the Great Horned Owl of Canada are resident species. The Snowy Owl that lives in the North Pole migrates to Canada and USA during winters. In Europe, the Scops Owls migrates to the tip of the Sahara Desert. The Short-Eared Owl is another migratory Owl from India that travels long distances, sometimes even crossing oceans.

Migration of Starlings depends on their geography. The ones living high up in the northern hemisphere move southward during winters. In the UK, they relocate from the west coast to the east coast. The birds from North America and Canada usually move to the USA. The Asian species travel from northeastern regions towards the south and west. Some species also stop over in the Middle East and North Africa.

Do Owl and Starling fly in flocks?

A group of Owls is called a parliament. Owls are extreme loners and prefer solitary existence. They rarely flock aside the breeding season. They sometimes roost in small groups or in pairs for warmth in cold temperatures.

A flock of Starlings is called murmuration. The birds are extremely gregarious and live in large flocks comprising of several hundreds to thousands of birds. Flocking helps the birds to stay safe from predators and keep themselves warm at night. It also gives them an opportunity to communicate with each other about sources of food.

Are Owl or Starling protected?

Owls are protected in most countries like the USA, UK, India, Canada, and Japan. They do not enjoy protection in some countries, while in some others only the endangered species are protected.

Starlings are not protected in major parts of the world. Only a few countries like the UK and Canada have laws prohibiting harming and hunting of the birds. Starlings are largely considered as pests because they destroy crops like grapes, strawberries, apples, and figs besides many other fruits and seeds. They also consume water and feed kept for livestock, while contaminating the feed with their droppings. To save their crops and livestock from the nuisance, farmers kill Starlings by shooting and poisoning them.

Are Owl or Starling endangered?

Some species of Owls are endangered and face threat of extinction. These include Pernambuco Pygmy Owl, Siau Scops Owl, Forest Owl, Moheli Scops Owl, Congo Bay Owl, and Long-Whiskered Owlet. The population of Owls is threatened by loss of habitat, lack of food sources, hunting, and climate change.

Starlings are not endangered birds. However, their population is falling drastically in several parts of the world, especially the UK.

Can Owl and Starling fly?

Owls are known to fly without making any sound. The comb-like design on the edges of their feathers and their large wings enable them to fly noiselessly. They fly slowly, without flapping their wings too much. Some species of Owls fly at a speed of just two miles an hour, while the faster species can reach 40 miles per hour.

The flight of the Starling murmuration is a sight to behold. The birds fly in massive groups that could even consist of over 10,000 birds. The swarm could include other Starling species and other bird species as well. Starlings fly in different patterns to maintain fluid formation. As the birds swoop and swirl, the shift in pattern is seamless, synchronous, and swift. The avian behavior is a result of extreme coordination. Each bird always aligns itself to the immediate seven birds around it. The murmuration is intended to keep the flock safe and intimidate the predators with the enormity. It also helps the birds to conserve energy during long flights. Starlings are known to be able to fly at speeds of 37-50 miles an hour. During migration, they travel up to 620-930 miles in a day.

Can Owl and Starling swim?

Owls are not natural swimmers. They do not have webbed feet. However, they can manage to swim if they happen to accidentally fall in water.

Starlings are not regular swimmers although they can manage to swim. They regularly bathe in water to keep their plumage clean and reduce body temperature in summers.

Mating patterns among Owl and Starling

Owls start mating when they are two to three years old. During the mating season, the male and female Owls perform mating dances. They also hoot mating calls that boost their bond and keep away other Owls from their territory. The male may get a prey as offering to the female to woo her. In some species, partners may engage in giggling and snapping of bills as part of mating ritual. The female may lay one to 15 eggs in a breeding season, however not all at once. It is her responsibility to lay eggs, incubate and hatch them. Once the chicks are born, the male may fetch food for them and give it to the female.

At the onset of the breeding season, the male Starling birds find a nesting location and prepare the base of the nest using grass and leaves. He then perches at the nesting site, singing and waving with his wings to attract the female. The male and female are said to have paired when they partner to complete the construction of the nest and carry out other activities together. The partners raise one to two broods each year. Each clutch typically consists of three to six eggs.

When is the mating season for Owl and Starling ?

The mating season for Owls is generally spring every year. However, some species mate during winter months.

The mating season for Starlings depends on the geography. Typically, it is during April-June. Starlings could make breeding attempts more than once a year.

Do Owl and Starling mate for life?

Owls are devoted partners. They mate for life. They also use the same nesting site year after year.

Starlings are monogamous during each breeding season. Nevertheless, the male could look for a mate when his partner is incubating the eggs. Female birds who have not mated during the season could be aggressive towards those who are mating the second time.

How do Owl and Starling sleep?

Owls are nocturnal birds. They sleep either on trees or on the ground while standing and keeping their eyes closed. Most species are awake during the night when they hunt. They mostly sleep during the day.

Starlings choose roosting sites that are safe from predators and shielded from harsh weather. They tend to sleep more during winters. They sleep for less than five hours in summers and around three hours on full moon nights. When the flocks gather at roosting sites, they perform avian stunts and spend time in communication before resting for the night.

Can Owl and Starling be eaten?

Humans are not known to have consumed Owls. The birds do not have much meat on them. Their taste is known to be unpalatable.

Starlings are widely consumed by people. Their meat is cooked in different ways. They are a regular meal in countries like France. Killing the birds for meat is allowed in several nations.

Can you hunt Owl or Starling?

Owls are typically not hunted. Only in cases when they cause trouble, people hunt them or capture them and release them in the wild. Hunting or harming Owls is not allowed in many countries.

Starlings are not protected in most countries. They are hunted for sport and meat. They are also hunted and killed for the destruction they cause to agricultural lands and livestock.

Can you feed Owl or Starling?

Most countries do not permit owning or feeding of Owls. In captivity, the birds are fed rodents, chicken, meat, and worms.

Starlings eat worms, berries, and fruits. At agricultural lands and livestock farms, people often have feeding stations for Starlings to prevent them from attacking crops and the feeds reserved for livestock. The birds are fed with peanuts, sunflower seeds, mealworms, egg powder, and leafy greens.