A family of 128 species of glossy, often iridescent birds, famous for mimicry and for murmurations: huge flocks that twist and turn together. The common starling was introduced to North America, Australia and elsewhere, where it is invasive.
Quick answers
What is it?Bird
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inWorldwide
HabitatGrassland, Farmland, Towns
ColoursBlack, Green, Purple
SizeTiny
Length19–23 cm (common starling)
Weight58–101 g (common starling)
Legs2
Covered inFeathers
Lives inflocks
Lives for2–15 years
Can fly
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Native to Europe, Asia, Africa, northern Australia and Pacific islands; introduced to North America, New Zealand, South Africa and more.
- What it eats
- Insects and other invertebrates, plus seeds and fruit.
Did you know
Murmurations of a million birds turn together with no leader at all.
A wild starling has been seen to copy a sound it heard only once.
Winter roosts of up to 1.5 million common starlings form in city centres.
Often confused with
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