Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: dalethorn on May 24, 2009, 10:48:14 am

Title: Starling on the Ground at the Zoo.
Post by: dalethorn on May 24, 2009, 10:48:14 am

I don't know for sure that this is a starling, but it's the closest match I could find in the Smithsonian Birds of North America.
Panasonic G1, daylight auto-exp., ISO 400.

Title: Starling on the Ground at the Zoo.
Post by: RSL on May 24, 2009, 11:05:32 am

better be careful around that guy, Dale. He looks POed that you're taking his picture.

Title: Starling on the Ground at the Zoo.
Post by: wolfnowl on May 24, 2009, 07:59:32 pm

Quote from: dalethorn

I don't know for sure that this is a starling, but it's the closest match I could find in the Smithsonian Birds of North America.
Panasonic G1, daylight auto-exp., ISO 400.

Yup.  European Starling, breeding plumage.

Nice shot too...

Mike.

Title: Starling on the Ground at the Zoo.
Post by: dalethorn on May 24, 2009, 09:31:15 pm

Quote from: wolfnowl

Yup.  European Starling, breeding plumage.
Nice shot too...
Mike.

Thanks Mike - the book described the main part of the body as "black overall with iridescent sheen of purple and green."  I recall growing up here long ago when starlings were considered to be rather a pest, but I don't remember the coloration like this.  Maybe it's just luck that the lighting showed off these colors on this particular shot.