Female is lighter brown and pedestrianly colored. These sparrows are one of the main reasons for the decline of martin and other native birds in the last fifty years. European Starlings A non-native species from Europe. A strong nest-site competitor with a fierce long yellow beak, hence, the nickname, needlebeak. Considered to be, along with House Sparrows, a main reason for the decline in Purple Martins.
Birds have long legs, bright yellow beaks and are brightly marked and speckled in wintertime.
Many times, exoskeletons are found inside the nesting chambers F fecal sac Excrement by young birds that is gleaned from the nests by the parents, flown a distance from the nest and dropped. In early stages, parents may ingest these as there is much nutrient that passes right though very young nestlings. This is a time, that the parents do not have much time to forage for themselves but only for their young. This important law protects all common wild birds found in the US, except the House Sparrow, European Starling, feral pigeon and resident game birds in season. The act of leaving the nest by nestlings.