Species guide
European Starling: how to recognise it
A bird seen on most continents. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Shiva Shenoy · CC BY · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Sturnus vulgaris
- Family
- Starlings
- Size
- About 20–23 cm
- Habitat
- Towns, farmland and open country
- Found in
- Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, South America and Oceania
The key marks
In summer glossy black with a purple-green sheen and a yellow bill; in winter spangled with pale spots and a dark bill.
Voice
A whistling, clicking, mimicking song.
Good to know
It can mimic other birds and even man-made sounds, and big flocks perform swirling “murmurations”.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in towns, farmland and open country. It is especially common in Türkiye, Poland, Canada and the United Kingdom. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.