starling

¹ American  

[stahr-ling] / ˈstɑr lɪŋ /

noun

1. a chunky, medium-sized European passerine bird, Sturnus vulgaris, of iridescent black plumage with seasonal speckles, that nests in colonies: introduced into North America.

2. any of various similar Old World birds of the family Sturnidae.

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starling ² American  

[stahr-ling] / ˈstɑr lɪŋ /

noun

1. a pointed cluster of pilings for protecting a bridge pier from drifting ice, debris, etc.

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Starling ¹ British  

/ ˈstɑːlɪŋ /

noun

1. Ernest Henry . 1866–1927, British physiologist, who contributed greatly to the understanding of many bodily functions and with William Bayliss (1860–1924) discovered the hormone secretin (1902)

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starling ² British  

/ ˈstɑːlɪŋ /

noun

1. any gregarious passerine songbird of the Old World family Sturnidae , esp Sturnus vulgaris , which has a blackish plumage and a short tail

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starling ³ British  

/ ˈstɑːlɪŋ /

noun

1. an arrangement of piles that surround a pier of a bridge to protect it from debris, etc

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Etymology

Origin of starling¹

before 1050; Middle English; Old English stærling, equivalent to stær starling (cognate with Old High German stara, Old Norse stari ) + -ling -ling ¹; akin to Old English stearn kind of bird, Latin sturnus starling

Origin of starling²

First recorded in 1675–85; origin uncertain

Explanation

A starling is a small, dark, glossy bird that's usually found in a group with other starlings. Many starlings are able to mimic sounds such as car alarms. Aside from the hottest, driest deserts, you can find starlings just about everywhere on earth. When large groups of these sociable birds move in formation together, forming graceful, shifting cloud shapes in the sky, it's called a "murmuration." Starlings are also known for their ability to imitate the calls of other birds, as well as human-made sounds, including whistles, crying children, and car horns.

Example Sentences

One of the birds was a mourning dove and the other a European starling.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2025

Royall continues: "These include schools of other fish such as goldfish or sardines, as well as flocks of birds such as starling murmurations and swarms of insects such as dancing mosquitos."

From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2024

While there is no concrete evidence that Mozart’s starling influenced his compositions, the idea that birds affect the work of composers endures.

From New York Times • Jun. 6, 2023

Conservationist Conor McKinney told Good Morning Ulster that Belfast was once one of the best places in Ireland to watch a starling murmuration.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2023

A starling trapped in the house flew up the stairs to the second floor.

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn