Show starling Is queer bird often a nuisance ifs is in U S costay froS fray abird JEKYLL AND HYDE of the bird world is the widely de tested starling first induced from rom E england ng I 1 and about 60 years ago this bird has spread unimpeded ed over more than two million square miles of north america from new york city where it was first released it still is spreading and there is no end in sight it already occurs north to greenland south into mexico and westward to the pacific coast the spread is spasmodic apparently expanding whenever the pressure of starling population U becomes too heavy beavy for the birds comfort everywhere the starling has fias gone especially in cities it is regarded as a nuisance because of its objectionable flocking and ro habits but it seems nearly immune to most weapons used against it on the other hand it Is la in some respects a highly beneficial species spec sp ecles it feeds largely on weevils that fire are the chief enemy of grass and forage crop crops S espe especially cl ally the clover leaf weevil it li is a major enemy of destructive beetles including the japanese beetle and the potato beetle it devours enormous numbers of destructive cate caterpillars it is 13 hated bated as a cherry eater but stomach examinations indicate that in this respect it Is no worse than some other birds on the whole it as is concU concluded ded its food habits are beneficial to man |