Sturnus unicolor
Sturnus unicolor
The spotless starling is an endemic species of the western Mediterranean region (BirdLife International, 2024). In Europe, it is found only in the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, and the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily (Keller et al., 2020). In Spain, it is a ubiquitous species throughout the mainland territory, except in northern mountainous areas and the Canary Islands (Martin and Lorenzo, 2021; Gil in SEO/BirdLife, 2022). It is also present in Ceuta and Melilla, and its recent colonisation of the Balearic Islands is noteworthy (GOB, 2012).
In the Community of Madrid it is a widely distributed species, except in high mountain areas. Here it occupies all types of habitats, although it is strongly anthropophilic, inhabiting villages and hamlets, as well as parks in large cities (Díaz et al., 1994).
In the national park it is a very scarce species, appearing only occasionally in edge areas far from large forest masses, always on the perimeter of the protected area, at its lowest elevations and associated with human-altered environments.
This species is closely associated with human-modified environments, such as areas with livestock activity, and reaches high densities in cities, towns and peri-urban areas with different types of crops (Bernis, 1989; Gil in SEO/BirdLife, 2022). It inhabits riparian woodlands and holm oak forests, with its presence limited by the availability of tree cavities suitable for nesting.
In the national park it occupies environments with human structures, shrublands, ash riparian forests and some holm oaks. It does not appear in mountain areas nor in the pine or oak forests of the slopes and higher zones of the park.
Globally, it is considered in the category of Least Concern (LC; 2024). In Europe it is also classified in the same category (LC; 2020). In Spain it is considered Least Concern in the 2021 Red List.
The Catalogue of Threatened Species of the Community of Madrid (1992) does not place the species in any threat category.
Bernis, F. 1989. Los estorninos en las mesetas españolas. INIA, Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación. Madrid.
BirdLife International 2024. IUCN Red List for birds. https://datazone.birdlife.org.
Carrascal, L. M. y Palomino, D. 2008. Las aves comunes reproductoras en España. Población en 2004-2006. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.
Díaz, M., Martí, R., Gómez-Manzaneque, Á. y Sánchez, A. 1994. Atlas de las aves nidificantes en Madrid. Agencia de Medio Ambiente y SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.
Keller, V., Herrando, S., Voříšek, P., Franch, M., Kipson, M., Milanesi, P., Martí, D., Antón, M., Klvaňová, A., Kalyakin, M. V. Bauer, H. Gr y Foppen, R. P. B. 2020. European Breeding Bird Atlas 2: Distribution, Abundance and Change. European Birds Census Council y Lynx Edicions. Barcelona.
Martín, A. y Lorenzo, J. A. 2001. Aves del archipiélago canario. Francisco Lemus Editor. Arafo, Tenerife.
SEO/BirdLife (Molina, B., Nebreda, A., Muñoz, A. R., Seoane, J., Real, R., Bustamante, J. y Del Moral, J. C., Eds.). 2022. III Atlas de las aves en época de reproducción en España. SEO/BirdLife. Madrid.