Rosy Starlings (Pastor roseus) are sociable and partly nomadic breeding birds of the steppes and semi-deserts of Central Asia and Southeastern Europe. Westward thrusts are usually associated with the mass propagation of grasshoppers. In Germany, Rosy Starlings are rare vagrants with few records per year, which usually affect rather inconspicuous pale-colored juveniles. At the moment, however, the chances of observing an attractive adult bird in partly breeding plumage are as good as virtually never before.
Currently there is a strong influx of Rosy Starlings. In the past two weeks, an unusually large number of adult Rosy Starlings have been found far to the west of their regular breeding grounds. Hundreds are currently reported from Italy, numerous observations are also daily from Austria and Switzerland. Further north, some have already made it to Denmark, Sweden and Norway, in the west they have penetrated as far as England, Belgium and southern France.
Tracing the current observations is possible via website platforms ornitho.de or NaturaList.
In Germany, some Rosy Starlings were discovered in the last week. In the north several on Heligoland and two to three on Norderney, in the south one in Baden-Württemberg and three in Bavaria. It can be assumed that other Rosy Starlings are currently still undetected in Germany and more will follow. On Heligoland there are sightings of juvenile Rosy Starlings almost every year; but these observations date later in the year, mainly in October.
Flocks of Starlings should cause a closer look these days. Especially when observing known sleeping places of Starlings – of course, without disturbing the birds – the brightly Rosy Starlings can be well discovered. In areas with fruit and wine agriculture Rosy Starlings could arrive, too. Fruits from Cherry Trees (Prunus sp.), Mulberry Trees (Morus sp.) and other cultures of ripening small-berry grapes are plundered.
If you have discovered a rose star, you are asked to shoot document photos (if possible) and report the observation promptly at ornitho.de to provide an ongoing overview of the development of the entry.
To cope with the growing demand for top shots of the rarer species of the Palearctic Bird-Lens is keen to enrich the range of pictures of birds you can find in the western palearctic. Trips to remote places like this one to capture images of rare birds of western palearctic were very successful. The nice image of the blog is only a first impression, what you will find in the gallery in the “Picture Shop” very soon. Just give me a message, if I could serve you with an image needed before the new pictures are online.