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Nearby · Ottawa Co.
BirdsIn Ottawa County, Ohio

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758

European Starling in all of Ohio
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
(c) Shiva Shenoy, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Shiva Shenoy · CC BY 4.0 (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Sturnidae
Genus
Sturnus

Introduced and invasive status

Introduced and assessed as invasive in the lower 48 states

US-RIIS assesses a species as invasive when it causes, or is likely to cause, harm there, or is at least locally abundant and harmful ecologically, economically, or to health.

Status: Simpson A, Sellers E, Pagad S (2023). United States Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (US-RIIS), ver. 2.0. U.S. Geological Survey, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9KFFTOD (opens in a new tab)

Near Ottawa County

Range

Where it is recorded

Season shown in 0 of Ohio's 88 counties. Its mapped range covers 88. Explore Ohio

  • No result yet (0)
  • Within its mapped range (14)
  • Recorded, too few records for a result (59)
  • Recorded, season not shown (15)
  • Season shown (0)
Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Cartographic Boundary Files, 1:500,000. Range: USGS Gap Analysis Project, Species Range Maps CONUS_2001 (2018). Show as a table
Counties as a table
European Starling by Ohio county: records and mapped range
CountyRecordsIn mapped range
Adams CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Allen CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Ashland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Ashtabula CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Athens County37 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Auglaize CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Belmont CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Brown CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Butler County42 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Carroll CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Champaign CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Clark CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Clermont CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Clinton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Columbiana CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Coshocton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Crawford CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Cuyahoga County196 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Darke CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Defiance CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Delaware County32 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Erie CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Fairfield CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Fayette CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Franklin County142 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Fulton CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Gallia CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Geauga CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Greene County41 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Guernsey CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Hamilton County133 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Hancock CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Hardin CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Harrison CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Henry CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Highland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Hocking CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Holmes CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Huron CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Jackson CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Jefferson CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Knox CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Lake County40 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Lawrence CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Licking CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Logan CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Lorain County32 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Lucas County59 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Madison CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Mahoning CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Marion CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Medina County28 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Meigs CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Mercer CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Miami CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Monroe CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Montgomery County52 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Morgan CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Morrow CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Muskingum CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Noble CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Ottawa County26 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Paulding CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Perry CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Pickaway CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Pike CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Portage CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Preble CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Putnam CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Richland CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Ross CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Sandusky CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Scioto CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Seneca CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Shelby CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Stark County34 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Summit County207 · Recorded, season not shownYes: year-round
Trumbull CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Tuscarawas CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Union CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Van Wert CountyNo qualifying records yetYes: year-round
Vinton CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Warren CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Washington CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Wayne CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Williams CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Wood CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round
Wyandot CountyRecorded, too few records for a resultYes: year-round

Season

When it is recorded

In Ottawa County

Not enough evidence

The weeks are still too uncertain to show a season. Based on 26 records in 8 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025, above the minimum of 20 records from 5 different years.
Show over the bars
Recording in Ottawa County · records of all species each week, 13,333 in all

Records per week from 26 records in 8 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.

Show as a table
Records of European Starling in Ottawa County each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of European StarlingYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–101142
Jan 11–170040
Jan 18–240041
Jan 25–310014
Feb 1–70022
Feb 8–141122
Feb 15–210037
Feb 22–280078
Mar 1–70065
Mar 8–141141
Mar 15–210062
Mar 22–282179
Mar 29 – Apr 40079
Apr 5–110080
Apr 12–1800189
Apr 19–2500235
Apr 26 – May 200203
May 3–922557
May 10–16111,468
May 17–23221,043
May 24–3011430
May 31 – Jun 600351
Jun 7–1300223
Jun 14–2000267
Jun 21–2711463
Jun 28 – Jul 400405
Jul 5–1100376
Jul 12–1811448
Jul 19–2500387
Jul 26 – Aug 111406
Aug 2–800430
Aug 9–1511814
Aug 16–2233447
Aug 23–2900353
Aug 30 – Sep 500430
Sep 6–1222406
Sep 13–1911448
Sep 20–2622366
Sep 27 – Oct 311274
Oct 4–1000280
Oct 11–1711169
Oct 18–2411136
Oct 25–3100105
Nov 1–70081
Nov 8–1400136
Nov 15–210040
Nov 22–280053
Nov 29 – Dec 50051
Dec 6–120036
Dec 13–190031
Dec 20–260042
Dec 27 – Jan 20052

In Ohio

Recorded all year

Recorded through most of the year, so there is no single season to show. Based on 2,395 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025, above the minimum of 20 records from 5 different years.
Show over the bars
Recording in Ohio · records of all species each week, 1,691,199 in all

Records per week from 2,395 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not a season or how common it is.

Show as a table
Records of European Starling in Ohio each week, and records of all species
WeekRecords of European StarlingYears recordedRecords of all species
Jan 4–105386,211
Jan 11–175095,146
Jan 18–244494,645
Jan 25–314584,698
Feb 1–74076,023
Feb 8–144295,888
Feb 15–213485,436
Feb 22–283496,846
Mar 1–74098,321
Mar 8–1427510,384
Mar 15–2142812,620
Mar 22–2835713,949
Mar 29 – Apr 446819,661
Apr 5–1153826,860
Apr 12–181251039,925
Apr 19–2580941,623
Apr 26 – May 2120956,391
May 3–973852,952
May 10–1678853,785
May 17–2373957,698
May 24–3076854,651
May 31 – Jun 671953,099
Jun 7–13441053,700
Jun 14–2040756,625
Jun 21–2756855,361
Jun 28 – Jul 436658,477
Jul 5–1128661,336
Jul 12–1826864,722
Jul 19–2550769,753
Jul 26 – Aug 122659,416
Aug 2–834959,712
Aug 9–1516755,994
Aug 16–2239854,328
Aug 23–2940951,772
Aug 30 – Sep 527757,167
Sep 6–1239959,075
Sep 13–1944854,543
Sep 20–2655845,860
Sep 27 – Oct 335743,180
Oct 4–1028837,841
Oct 11–1740930,824
Oct 18–24531021,156
Oct 25–3132819,021
Nov 1–7441014,172
Nov 8–1443812,621
Nov 15–212597,965
Nov 22–282288,136
Nov 29 – Dec 53096,083
Dec 6–122896,004
Dec 13–195095,423
Dec 20–262685,661
Dec 27 – Jan 26298,459

What these results show

These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.

Identification

How to identify it

Often confused with

  • Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus aterOften confused in Ohio: 19 identifications in Ohio named one where the other was meant
  • Common Grackle Quiscalus quisculaOften confused in Ohio: 15 identifications in Ohio named one where the other was meant
  • Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceusOften confused in Ohio: 15 identifications in Ohio named one where the other was meant
  • American Robin Turdus migratoriusOften confused in Ohio: 11 identifications in Ohio named one where the other was meant
  • House Sparrow Passer domesticus209 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant

From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.

Land cover where it is recorded

Land coverIts recordsAll Ohio records
Developed82%49%
Farmland9%11%
Forest5%31%
Wetland3%5%
Open water1%3%
Barren0.6%0.6%

From 983 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)

Finer identifications

Some Ohio records of this species were identified to a subspecies:

  • Sturnus vulgaris vulgarisEuropean Common Starlingsubspecies

Every one of these records counts toward the European Starling's season above.

Why some records go further than species

Many species vary from place to place. Groups of a species that look or sound a little different, and live in different areas, can be named as subspecies. Observers and experts only identify a record that far when it shows enough detail to tell them apart. Records without that detail count at the species level.

Names: Catalogue of Life.

Sources

Where these results come from

  • Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
  • Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
  • See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.

Records behind the Ohio result

2,395 records from 2 datasets.

To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).

A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.