The European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) All of the European Starlings found today in North America-and they number in the 200 million range-are descendants of approximately 100 birds introduced in New York City's Central Park in the early 1890s. A society dedicated to introducing into America all of the birds mentioned in the works of Shakespeare set these birds free. Previous attempts to introduce Starlings were made in the Northeast and on the West Coast as early as 1850, but all were unsuccessful. Today, European Starlings are seen from Alaska to Florida to northern Mexico.