30 birdsandblooms.com SEPTEMBER EXTRA 2019
ESSENTIALS
NONNATIVESTAKINGOVER?Putyourfeedersawayorfillthemwithsafflowerseedsuntiltheymoveon.CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: KEITH DIRAGO; THERESA ST. JOHN; PASSION4NATURE/ISTOCK; DIANE AUGUSTUSNonnatives to Know
Common species that are now abundant in America. BY SHERYL DEVORE
EUROPEAN STARLING
Starlings, which are from Europe and Asia, were
released into New York City in 1890, and are among
North America’s most numerous birds. They’re glossy
greenish-black in winter with white feather tips that
wear away by summer. Starlings fly in large flocks
and create amazing whirling balls in the sky.MUTE SWAN
This swan was brought from Europe in the 1800s
to decorate ponds. It spread mostly in the Northeast,
mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions. Tell it apart
from native tundra and trumpeter swans by its
orange bill with a black knob.
HOUSE SPARROW
This sociable bird was introduced from Europe to New
York in 1852. It’s common throughout most of North
America, although its numbers have declined both
here and abroad. The male has a gray and rusty crown
with pale cheeks and a black bib. It nests in man-made
cavities, including streetlights and gas station roofs.ROCK PIGEON
Introduced from Europe in the 1600s, rock pigeons
saved lives carrying messages for the U.S. Army in
both world wars. Many are gray with two black wing
bars and shiny green or red on the neck. Pigeons nest
in buildings, in barns and under bridges. They feed
young with milk developed in their throat pouches.