Starling

Such is the strength of association between the Starling and humans that this species is unmistakeable. While the head and body size is close to that of a Blackbird, the overall appearance is of a more rakish, bustling bird, often noisy and flighty. At distance, the adults appear black, but on closer viewing the iridescent nature of the plumage becomes evident. Adults in breeding plumage have a yellow bill. Young Starlings are dull brown in colour, often with a pale throat. It is possible to tell the sex of two adults of a breeding pair of Starlings. The male does have much more glossy plumage but an even more obvious feature is that, from mid-February onwards, British and Irish breeding male Starlings will have a blue blush at the base of their bill and in females this is pink.