Common Starling vs Rock Pigeon

Sturnus vulgaris 比較対象 Columba livia

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Side-by-Side Comparison

属性 Common Starling Rock Pigeon
学名 Sturnus vulgaris Columba livia
Passeriformes Columbiformes
Sturnidae Columbidae
保全状況 Least Concern Least Concern
体長 21.5 cm (8.5 in) 33.0 cm (13.0 in)
翼開長 37.0 cm (14.6 in) 68.0 cm (26.8 in)
体重 78.0 g (2.75 oz) 300.0 g (10.58 oz)
食性 Omnivorous — insects and larvae (especially leatherjackets), earthworms, fruit, and seeds. Probes soil with open … Seeds, grain, fruit, and human food scraps. Primarily a ground feeder. Feral birds are heavily …
一腹卵数 4-7 2
Population Trend
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Size Comparison

Body Length
Common Starling 21.5 cm
Rock Pigeon 33.0 cm
翼開長
Common Starling 37.0 cm
Rock Pigeon 68.0 cm
体重
Common Starling 78.0 g
Rock Pigeon 300.0 g
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Habitat Comparison

共通生息地

Common Starling only

Rock Pigeon only

None

Common Starling

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

Rock Pigeon

Originally cliff-nesting in Mediterranean regions. Now the quintessential urban bird, inhabiting cities worldwide on every continent.

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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.

Rock Pigeon

さえずり

Soft, rhythmic cooing 'roo-c'too-coo' repeated multiple times, with emphasis on second syllable. Male courtship coo is deeper and more persistent. Wing-clapping on takeoff is loud.

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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.

Rock Pigeon

Native to Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Feral populations on every continent except Antarctica.

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保全状況

Least Concern

Common Starling

Least Concern

Rock Pigeon

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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

Rock Pigeon

羽毛

Wild-type has a blue-grey body with iridescent green and purple neck feathers, two black wing bars, and a white rump. Feral populations show enormous color variation.

くちばし

Slender dark bill with a white fleshy cere at the base

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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。

Rock Pigeon

The rock pigeon is the ancestor of all domestic pigeon breeds and one of the most abundant birds in cities worldwide. Pigeons have served humans as messengers, food, and subjects for scientific research — their homing ability and vision have been studied extensively. Darwin's study of pigeon breeding contributed to his theory of evolution.

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