Over the years, I've watched our amazingly adaptable european starling eat tent caterpillars on two different occasions in two different locations at different times. Both times, the birds held what appeared to be the posterior end of the caterpillar with their pointed beaks and shook the insect vigorously from side to side till the fuzzy integument, the caterpillar's "wrapper," started coming off. They then pulled 'em out of their skin and gulped 'em down. It looked like a fair amount of work, though. It took almost a minute for the whole operation from beginning to end. Actually made me kinda hungry.

I'm sure that the woolly spinelets that make up the fuzz on the outside are great protection for the caterpillars, and some seem to be deciduous. Also, the webbing that protects the tent caterpillars has to be a very tough barrier when you consider how truly lightweight are our passerines. Adult starlings are only about 3 ounces.

Darrell Smith
Principal Habitat Biologist
Surface Water Management Division
Snohomish County Dept. of Public Works
2731 Wetmore, Suite 300
Everett, WA 98201-3581
425.388.6497
mailto:darrell.smith at co.snohomish.wa.us