Spanish Bird of the Week #2: Spotless Starling

ROBERT'S NOTE: James's adventures in Spain continue with another awesome European bird, a bird I didn't even know existed until just before he left!

Much earlier in our illustrious blogging career, we commented on the European Starling, and the inglorious task of finding these pesky invasives. While I saw my “lifer” in the beautiful park surrounding Independence Hall in Philadelphia, all one really has to do is head to the nearest Bojangles’, grocery store, or urban area, and there they are.

I was surprised to find out that in Europe, or at least in Andalucia, there are no Bojangles’. Crushing. Perhaps consequently, there are also not many European Starlings, a bird they call the Common Starling. I never ate at Bojangles’ in Spain, and I never saw a Common Starling. I feel this is a situation where correlation does not equal correlation. However, I was more than happy to dip on the Common Starling because I was fortunate enough to run into one of their very close relatives, the Spotless Starling.

Walking back from my visit to Parque Maria Luisa, I heard an odd noise coming from a nearby patch of trees. Early in my Spanish adventures, just about every call was an odd call, but that’s because almost every bird is a life bird. A quick glance through the trees and I located the bird, out in the open and singing in the winter sun. Unfortunately, I only found one more Spotless Starling during my trip, but at least I was able to get a nice little break from the large flocks of those annoying parking lot birds we get in the States.

Way cooler than the starlings we get around here! Stay tuned next Sunday for another edition of the Spanish Bird of the Week!