STURNUS, the STARLING; a genus of birds belonging to the order of passeres. The beak is subulated, depressed, and somewhat blunt; the superior mandible is entire, and somewhat open at the edges; the nostrils are margined above; and the tongue is sharp and emarginated. There are 15 species according to Dr Latham; the vulgaris, capensis, ludovicianus, militaris, cellaris, carunculatus, gallinaceus, fericeus, viridis, olivaceus, moritanicus, loyca, dauricus, juncti, and mexicanus.
The vulgaris, or common starling, is the only species of the sturnus that is indigenous. The weight of the male of this species is about three ounces; that of the female rather less. The length is eight inches three quarters: Latham's bill is brown or yellow, but in old birds generally yellow. The whole plumage is black, very resplendent, with changeable blue, purple, and copper: each feather marked with a pale yellow spot. The lesser coverts are edged with yellow, and slightly glossed with green. The quill-feathers and tail dusky: the former edged with yellow on the exterior side; the latter with dirty white. The legs of a reddish brown. Symp. vol. ii.
The stare breeds in hollow trees, caves of houses, towers, ruins, cliffs, and often in high rocks over the sea, such as that of the Isle of Wight. It lays four or five eggs, of a pale-greenish ash-colour; and makes its nest of straw, small fibres of roots, and the like. In winter, stares assemble in vast flocks: they collect in myriads in the fens of Lincolnshire, and do great damage to the fen-men, by roofing on the reeds, and breaking them down by their weight; for reeds are the thatch of the country, and are laid up in harvest with great care. These birds feed on worms and insects; and it is said that they will get into pigeon-houses, for the sake of sucking the eggs. Their flesh is so bitter as to be scarce eatable. They are fond of following oxen and other large cattle as they feed in the meadows, attracted, it is said, by the insects which flutter round them; or by those, which
Style, Style.
Suppl. Hist. of Birds, Vol. iii.
which swarm in their dungs, or in meadows in general. From this habit is derived the German name Rinder Staren. They are also accused of feeding on the carcasses that are exposed on gibbets; but it is probably in search only of insects. They live seven or eight years, or even longer, in the domestic state. The wild ones cannot be decoyed by the call, because they regard not the scream of the owl. A method has been discovered of taking entire families, by fixing to the walls and the trees where they lodge pots of earthen ware of a convenient form, which the birds often prefer to place their nests in. Many are also caught by the gin and draw-net. In some parts of Italy it is common to employ tame weasels to drag them out of their nests, or rather their holes; for the artifice of man consists in employing one enslaved race to extend his dominion over the rest.
The Stare, it is said, can be taught to speak either French, German, Latin, Greek, &c. and to pronounce phrases of some length. Its plaint throat accommodates itself to every inflection and every accent. It can readily articulate the letter R, and acquires a sort of warbling which is much superior to its native song. This bird is spread through an extensive range in the ancient continent. It is found in Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, the Isle of Malta, the Cape of Good Hope, and is everywhere nearly the same; whereas those American birds which have been called Stares, present a great diversity of appearance.