Starling

The starling is a medium-sized passerine bird in the starling family, Sturnidae. It is about 20 cm (8 in) long and has glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen, which is speckled with white at some times of year. The legs are pink and the bill is black in winter and yellow in summer; young birds have browner plumage than the adults. It is a noisy bird, especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations, with an unmusical but varied song. Its gift for mimicry has been noted in literature including the Mabinogion and the works of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare.

Family
Starling (Sturnidae)
Latin Name
Sturnus vulgaris
Further reading
Wikipedia
Starling in summer plumage

Photos

Starling
Starling
Starlings in winter plumage
Starlings in winter plumage
(c) 2019 Mike Meysner
Starling on the lawn
Starling on the lawn
(c) 2019 Mike Meysner

When the bird was spotted

Date Location Title Seen by Interestingness
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Garden b.m.stokesley
Federsee Huge troops of starlings in the reed Hühnerhabicht ***
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Stokesley b.m.stokesley
Italy, Sicily St Vito del Capo mike421
Germany, Marktrodach 9 on neighbour´s old cherry tree Hühnerhabicht *
Germany, Kandern In the fields Hühnerhabicht *
France, Leymen Flying over the garden mike421 *
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors On garden fence b.m.stokesley
Germany, Marktrodach on the spruces in the garden Hühnerhabicht
France, Leymen In the big trees in front of the house mike421 *
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Garden b.m.stokesley
Germany, Marktrodach on a tree in the garden Hühnerhabicht
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors on green outside house b.m.stokesley
Germany, Kandern around 10 starlings in the fields behind the house Hühnerhabicht ***
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors In trees in Kirkby churchyard b.m.stokesley
France, Leymen Flying overhead in the garden mike421 *
Germany, Marktrodach flock of starlings gathering on garden trees Hühnerhabicht *
Germany, Marktrodach sitting on the wire in front of the house Hühnerhabicht
France, Leymen In the garden mike421
Germany, Wissen a swarm of around 20 sitting in a tree in Hövels Hühnerhabicht
France, Leymen In the garden mike421
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors from garden b.m.stokesley
Germany, Kandern wild part of spa gardens in Bad Bellingen Hühnerhabicht
UK, London disappearing in a nest box placed at a house Hühnerhabicht *
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors green opposite house b.m.stokesley
France, Leymen In front of the house mike421
France, La petite Camargue La petite Camargue mike421
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors in garden b.m.stokesley
UK, Teesside and the North York Moors Marton mike421
France, Leymen In the garden mike421 *
Switzerland, not specified By the restaurant Brianthebirdwatcher
France, Leymen Starlings in the cherry trees in front of the house mike421