[Sturnus vulgaris vulgaris]
The European Starling, or the Common Starling, is a very interesting bird indeed! Common throughout Europe and Asia, seeing these guys at my feeder is an honor, that allegedly never would've been possible if it weren't for William Shakespeare.
In 1877 the American Acclimatization Society introduced several species of native European birds to New York City, with varying degrees of success. It is said that they hoped to introduce all of the birds in Shakespeare's writings to America, including House Sparrows, Pheasants, and Blackbirds. One of their most successful achievements, though, are these very adaptable Starlings.
A group of Starlings is called a murmuration... You can spot a murmuration by it's spots! Speckled all over in white with a dark beak, Starlings are about 7 - 9 inches long with a wingspan of about 14 - 16 inches. Juveniles are browner, but develop their dark glossy feathers quickly.
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