Both parents feed the nestlings, which leave the nest after two weeks. Flocks depart from the breeding range quite early, in July and August. The species winters in southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America, where the birds feed on insects and nectar. From 100 birds released in the 1890s in New York City's Central Park have descended more than 200 million starlings populating North America today. The plumage is black with iridescent highlights.
Starlings are adaptable, hardy and wary.
They inhabit farmland, suburbs, cities and woods edges, and are least numerous in or are absent from marshes and extensive forests. When foraging on lawns in winter, starlings are usually gaping, probing their bills into the soil and prying apart grass roots to uncover beetle larvae. Starlings nest in woodpecker holes, crevices in trees and buildings, and bird houses. The male's song includes shrill squeals, squawks and imitations of other birds' songs. The female fills the nest cavity with grasses, weed stems, twigs, old cloth and dry leaves, then lines a central cup with fine grasses and feathers.