Ecology and breeding biology of Rose-colored Starlings (Sturnus roseus Linnaeus,1758) in Ardabil

For the first time, we recorded relatively large breeding colony of Rosy Starlings in Stone pit near Ardabil, Pir Algher area. During spring and summer 2014 we studied Sturnus roseus breeding success and its phenology. We observed that both parents cooperate in nesting which happened in Mid may (20th) and 3-6 eggs was laid in each nest (n=136). After about two months, fledging was accrued and the chicks could leave the nests and fly with parents. Our analysis about breeding success, based on Mayfield method, indicated that the survival rate of the offspring from hatching to fledging varies from 74 to 89 percent. Overall breeding success was assessed about 71 percent. The most failure was recorded in period before egg’s hatching while the amount of offspring mortality decrease significantly in nestling and post nestling periods. It seems that the depth of the nesting place significantly affects breeding success of the bird. The principal diet of Rosy Starlings in the study area consists of various species of grasshoppers (Orthoptera).