Spotless Starling

It's that time of year when Starlings in these parts can become very difficult to identify in the field. Not only are they moulting and growing new feathers but they also form huge mixed flocks, especially in Autumn when there are large numbers of juveniles.
Throughout the year we have the resident Spotless Starling, almost identical to the European or Common Starling except for the lack of spots, but at this time of year they are growing new feathers which have pale tips which give them a spotted appearance, mainly on the breast, until the tips wear off in a few weeks.
The European or Common Starling is a resident of the whole of Europe except the Iberian peninsular but in winter many of them pass round the eastern end of the Pyrenees into north-east Spain and numbers seem to be increasing with each passing year and they are spreading further south. They are also moulting and growing new feathers, which have generally larger pale tips which do not completely wear away.
There are other differences, such as the length of feathers on the throat, tail and wingtips, but these also become diffused during the moult. A close view of an individual from different angles is usually sufficient to get a correct ID with confidence but in many instances the task can become a bit of a lottery. Those with few or no spots on the wings and long throat feathers are almost certainly Spotless, while those covered in spots all over are probably European, but for the rest it will only become obvious in a few weeks. By Spring the flocks tend to separate into individual species when flying but they all feed together on the ground.