This bird took a bath in our pond. We’ve never seen this one. Who knows what bird this is?
Asker: Ria, 61 years
Answer
Hi Ria,
it is a young Starling, Sturnus vulgaris. It is what we call a ‘juvenile’: already adult size, with a first plumage, but not yet the actual adult plumage (and paired with it: not yet sexually mature).
You can see the final plumage on its flank: black with white dots.
fg,
Dominick Verschelde
Answered by
drs. Dominick Verschelde
Biology, Zoology, Marine nematology, Systematics and taxonomy
university of Ghent
http://www.ugent.be
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