They probably play a role in seed dispersal because of their consumption of a wide variety of fruits. A key factor that makes many species invasive is a lack of predators in the new environment. Various programs exist to control invasive species in Australia. 10 of the World's Worst Invasive Species. The most similar species to the European starling are the other blackbirds. This invasive bird has a significant negative impact on native bird species by competing directly for food and other resources. We also describe case studies of damage caused by starlings and overall economic impact. Only two other bird species, the common myna ( Acridotheres tristis ) and red-vented bulbul ( Pycnonotus cafer ), have been nominated for this list. The primary impact is the killing and displacing of crabs on the forest floor. The European starling is a medium-sized, black songbird with short, triangular wings, speckled plumage, and a short tail. They also occur in open woodlands, irrigated pasture, feedlots, mulga, mallee, reed-beds around wetlands, coastal plains, and occasionally alpine areas. Starlings are common throughout the lower parts of New Zealand and are one of the most common species in lowland suburban and cleared agricultural areas of the south east of Australia. Cavity-nesting native birds, such as woodpeckers and bluebirds, are especially at risk. European starlings are found in southern Alaska, the southern half of Canada, throughout the United States, and into northern Mexico. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were released in Central Park, New York, in 1890.From there they spread rapidly, and their range now extends from coast to coast and from Alaska to the tropics in Mexico. Starlings are a large group of birds in the Sturnidae family. The starling is one of the more omnivorous bird species, eating seeds, fruits, invertebrates and human leftovers with equal relish. Starling noise and droppings are offensive, and they can cause economic grain and feed loss. Common Name: European Starling, Common Starling, Purple-winged Starling. Learn more about invasive species, how they are problematic, and solutions for … And we can blame Shakespeare for their arrival in America. ... hundred native species. Starlings are now among the most abundant species of birds in North America. Numerous species arrived with European colonisation of Australia and steadily since then. Invasive species are a major threat to the livelihoods of the people who live in the areas they colonize. Invasive Species: Sturnus vulgaris, European Starling It is believed that about 100 European Starlings released in New York in the early 1890s had successfully established populations in widespread parts of the Eastern United States by about 10 years later.