The 'What Bird is Mini Minor' Poll is closed!
Mini Minor has been voted as being a Common Starling! Immature birds are plain dull mouse-brown, whitish on throat with legs and bill blackish.
Autumn Starlings are glossed black, with a purple and green shine, and body feathers have large white spotted tips. Their bills are dark and legs are brown.
After Winter during breeding season, adults become glossy black without any spots. Their bills and legs turn yellow.
Starlings are from the same family Sturnidae as Mynas! Medium-sized with average length 21cm, sharp billed, gregarious songbirds from Polynesia to Africa!
Introduction to Eastern Australia in the 1860s and 1930s respectively, they have continued to expand their ranges. The Common Starling displaces many native species from bushland nest hollows. *sigh*
Omnivorous. Some known to have fleshy wattles or bare coloured skin on head!
These images were taken in the middle of June. I will return to this very close spot to our backyard to find Mini Minor! She flew in the right direction ...Thankyou to all those who participated!!! Those who suggested Mini being a 'Common Starling' for the poll were MerlinPrincesse, Simon and Bird. Well done! Also thanks to Lavender for watching baby birds from her backyard as part of the investigation :)
I hereby rename Mini Minor as Mini Star-ling!
What Bird is Mini Minor Poll Results: With twelve voting, the Common Starling received 5 votes. Fuscous Honeyeater, Grey Shrike-thrush and Little Wattlebird came second with 3 votes each followed by Barred Cuckoo-shrike 2 votes. All other bird types in the poll received 1 vote each.
27 comments:
I’m still only 99.8 percent sure. HAHA!! :)
It has been so much fun watching Mini's progression and reading your blogs about her. This was a learning experience for all of us, I believe. We have the same starling problem -- not native and they are *numerous* -- becoming a nuisance (sorry, Mini) and displacing other birds. Have a great weekend!
We should have all known what Mini was, Melissa! Although, she was just too young to really easily tell :) I've only seen Starlings once before when made 'Middle of June post', so haven't considered how common Starlings really are! They are EVERYWHERE!
Oh darn, I thought she would grow up to be a hawk!
HAHHAAA, there is still a .2 percent chance Ces :)
Well, I say there's nothing common about mini at all! I don't care what she is.
Those Starlings don't make it easy to identify them with their changing ways. I voted Common Starling but it was 99.8% guess work.
You know... I proposed Common Starling and did NOT voted for it.... Hheheheh! Those wrattles fooled me... :)
As you can see on my Avatar, I'm a lost bird....
Thanks for giving me the 'early' heads up on Mini, the suspense would have killed me. Of course I didn't vote! Well, either way they're both introduced so I guess there's little diff between an Indian Myna and a Starling . . .At least she has friends close to home!
She is a Mini Star ... ling Red Mojo! Which isn't common at all :)
They do like to change their feathers with the climate Modroom! Clever birds ... we all had a percentage of 'guessing' in our votes :)
Hhehheee, the wattles were what kept throwing me too MerlinPrincesse! Plus the lighter colour under her chin. Then I read about BOTH being possible for a Starling... *PHEW*
I never imagined that avatar had feathers but you don't really need them when lost MerlinPrincesse!
I couldn't have been responsible for your death in hospital Baino! Changed mind several times when you were in there too :) Just as well I changed it back again or there could have been a second visit 'inside'! There is little difference between the two introduced birds, and they are from the same family *sigh* Supposed to visit Mini at the crack of dawn but have the flu today *snort cough sneeze* and wouldn't have made it home again.
colds are getting around.. I thought I had it after a wet bike ride :o(
Starling! :o)
Get well soon Anon! Miserable stuff these flus....
The Tribe, errr Flock! has spoken.
I think chicks are made deliberately hard to ID by Mother Nature as part of her usual bag of tricks - making our job that much harder...Well done everyone for having a go at IDing her...and
BRAVO Anon for a wonderful series!
Starling Simon! This isn't a cold it's the flu or pneumonia! One that embodies ALL symptoms from previous flues into one ... *glurp*
Thanks Lavender, if it's not one thing it's another. Want to catch the lot to be well by Christmas!
Heehee, the Flock did very well :) Yes, if the chicks look the same they wouldn't attack each others' until large enough to defend for themselves!
How come you are sick in SUMMER....? Here we keep it for Winter...blah... Especially for Holidays Season.... :)
Take care, little Anon... :)
Common? Mini? What? Never! :)
Starling? Well who would have believed it ;)
Our Summer is a little 'different' Lapin Poulin! Baino did a post about our weather in Sydney at the moment. *ACHOO!* Thanks Lapin Poulin :)
HAHAHHAAA, you'd better believe it Miladysa! I will visit her when the weather clears ... I know where she flew now :)
all those freckles! lucky mini.
a star to be sure, but never common. not mini.
HAHAHHAAA, she will be beautiful when grown Catnapping :) Mini Star ... ling which isn't 'common' at all!
WOW! We have LOTS of starlings here and I have rehabilitated some adults, but DUH I didn't know you had them there and I didn't recognize them.
I wonder if you would let me write about mini minor in one of my stories (A children's book). I have an episode about a starling that I need to change and Mini would be perfect in that spot.
Yes Starlings are found from Polynesia to Africa, Mary Stebbins Taitt! They are listed as one of the world’s worst 100 invasive alien species! In a little over 100 years, they spread across continental USA from just 170 released birds. Likewise, successfully introduced to Australia by various acclimatisation societies of the late 19th century. *sigh* Mini would be privileged to star in your story's episode!
You know where she flew? Great news!
I bet she is having so much fun and all is as it should be :]
MM will always remember her special Mum though!
Yes, I know where the local Starlings hang out Miladysa :) I'll also be calling her name and holding my arm out as a perch when visiting next!
WELL bother! i'VE RAISED A BABY STARLING (aRNIE THE DARLING STARLING) AND i SURE MISSED THE SIMILARITIES WITH MINI. Hmmmm must be losing it. Loved that bird - he loved grapes.
I was sure you were going to know what Bird Mini was TsDuff! Blame the hospital drugs :) Our Mini didn't like grapes, but it could have been the particular grapes we offered her ... :)
hee hee - give her a worm from me :)
HAHA, I thought about taking a container of worms but don't want a scene out of the movie 'Birds' when I'm around the Starling Flock! Hhehheeee. I'll call "hello" for you Miladysa :)
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