To identify the Spotless Starling, look for its longer throat feathers, which are double the length of those on the Common Starling, creating a pronounced "beard" especially visible when the bird vocalizes. Its legs are a vivid pink, and the bill color changes with the seasons: yellow with a bluish or pinkish base in summer, and a duller, often blackish hue in winter. Juveniles present a dull brown plumage, darker than their common counterparts, with a black bill and brown legs.
The Spotless Starling is quite adaptable, inhabiting a variety of open environments from farmlands and olive groves to urban areas. It thrives particularly well in open grazed holm oak woods and in cities like Gibraltar, where it is a common sight.
The Spotless Starling is a sociable creature, often seen in sizeable flocks that can number up to 100,000 in the winter months. These flocks may include Common Starlings as well. It exhibits a strong, direct flight and, like its relative, walks rather than hops.
A vocal bird, the Spotless Starling is an accomplished mimic. Its calls are reminiscent of the Common Starling but are notably louder.
As a cavity-nesting species, the Spotless Starling makes its home in tree holes, buildings, and cliff crevices. It typically lays a clutch of three to five eggs.
An omnivorous bird, the Spotless Starling's diet includes a wide array of invertebrates, berries, and human-provided food scraps.
