Starlings

110 species

Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent plumage. Starlings are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as northern Australia and the islands of the tropical Pacific. These birds are very gregarious and their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Several species live around human habitation and are effectively omnivores. Starlings have diverse and complex vocalizations and have been known to embed sounds from their surroundings into their own calls, including car alarms and human speech patterns. The birds can recognize particular individuals by their calls and are the subject of research into the evolution of human language.
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Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent plumage. Starlings are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as northern Australia and the islands of the tropical Pacific. These birds are very gregarious and their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Several species live around human habitation and are effectively omnivores. Starlings have diverse and complex vocalizations and have been known to embed sounds from their surroundings into their own calls, including car alarms and human speech patterns. The birds can recognize particular individuals by their calls and are the subject of research into the evolution of human language.
show less