Common Starling vs Great Horned Owl

Sturnus vulgaris 比較対象 Bubo virginianus

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Side-by-Side Comparison

属性 Common Starling Great Horned Owl
学名 Sturnus vulgaris Bubo virginianus
Passeriformes Strigiformes
Sturnidae Strigidae
保全状況 Least Concern Least Concern
体長 21.5 cm (8.5 in) 55.0 cm (21.7 in)
翼開長 37.0 cm (14.6 in) 127.0 cm (50.0 in)
体重 78.0 g (2.75 oz) 1400.0 g (49.38 oz)
食性 Omnivorous — insects and larvae (especially leatherjackets), earthworms, fruit, and seeds. Probes soil with open … Extremely diverse — mammals (rabbits, skunks, rodents), birds (including other raptors), reptiles, amphibians, and fish. …
一腹卵数 4-7 1-4
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Common Starling 21.5 cm
Great Horned Owl 55.0 cm
翼開長
Common Starling 37.0 cm
Great Horned Owl 127.0 cm
体重
Common Starling 78.0 g
Great Horned Owl 1400.0 g
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Habitat Comparison

共通生息地

Common Starling only

Great Horned Owl only

Common Starling

Open countryside, farmland, parks, and urban areas. Forms enormous communal roosts in winter, especially in urban environments.

Great Horned Owl

Diverse habitats including forests, deserts, swamps, urban parks, and suburban areas. Nests in tree hollows, cliff ledges, and abandoned nests of other large birds.

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Song & Call Comparison

Common Starling

さえずり

A complex mimic: rattles, whistles, clicks, and squeaks mixed with imitations of other birds. Song is a continuous medley. Also gives harsh 'scheer' alarm and chattering.

Great Horned Owl

さえずり

Deep, resonant 'who-who-who-who-ooo': the classic 'hoo-h'HOO-hoo-hoo' territorial duet of a mated pair. Booms at dusk. Female pitch slightly higher than male.

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Geographic Range & Migration

Common Starling

Native to Europe, western Asia, and North Africa. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Great Horned Owl

North and South America from subarctic Canada to Tierra del Fuego. One of the most widespread owls in the Americas.

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保全状況

Least Concern

Common Starling

Least Concern

Great Horned Owl

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How to Tell Them Apart

Common Starling

羽毛

Glossy black plumage with iridescent purple and green sheen in breeding season. Winter plumage shows white spotting. Short tail and pointed wings in flight.

くちばし

Long, pointed bill — yellow in breeding season, dark in winter

Great Horned Owl

羽毛

Mottled grey-brown plumage with heavy dark barring. Prominent ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a white throat patch give a fierce expression.

くちばし

Dark grey-black hooked bill almost hidden by facial disc feathers

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About These Birds

Common Starling

ホシムクドリ(Sturnus vulgaris)— ユーラシア原産で北米・豪州・南アフリカに移入された。金属光沢のある羽と白い斑点が特徴。巨大な群れ(マーモレーション)を形成する。

Great Horned Owl

The great horned owl is the most powerful and widespread owl in the Americas, earning the nickname tiger of the sky. It is one of the earliest nesting birds, often laying eggs in January when snow still covers the ground. Great horned owls are fierce predators, regularly taking prey up to three times their own weight.

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