The timing and duration of moult in adult Starlings Sturnus vulgaris in east‐central England

Abstract

The timing and duration of primary moult were estimated for wild adult Starlings Sturnus vulgaris near Monks Wood in 1977‐78, and for captive birds in 1999. The model of Underhill and Zucchini (1988) was modified to allow for a non‐linear increase in the moult score, based on scores of captive birds. For wild birds, estimates of moult duration in 1977 and 1978 were 100 days and 98 days, with mean and standard deviation in start dates of 6 June and 7.3 days in 1977, and 2 June and 9.7 days in 1978. For captive birds, moult duration was 85 days, with mean and standard deviation of 31 May and 4.1 days. Differences between these estimates and those reported for other wild and captive Starling populations are discussed.