London's Bird Life in 1900: Starlings

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Arthur H. Beavan made a survey of London birds, in Imperial London, published in 1901, here looking at the starling:

Starlings are present in London nearly all the year round in greater numbers than would be imagined, and seem to be as much at home as the sparrows.

Most church towers have communities of them.

They build regularly, and only when autumn comes do they leave town temporarily for the open country, gathering together like swallows in large flocks.

They also nest in any convenient hole in ordinary dwelling-houses where bricks has been removed, and are perfectly at their ease, even running up to the back doors to pick up food that is thrown out to them.

Starlings appear to excite the jealousy of sparrows to a remarkable extent, and writs of ejectment are constantly being served by the latter, relating to tenements whose possession is in dispute.

The sparrow is apparently envious of the vocal powers - such as they are - of his brother bird, and perhaps he covets his beautiful colouring, and envies his power of floating gracefully with motionless wings when about to alight.

In St James' Park, many starlings, evidently not householders, come to roost with much chattering in the evergreen oak-trees.

Next: Next: Journalistic London in 1900: The Daily Telegraph