Watercolor portrait of European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris
Permanent resident across most of North… Open areas with scattered trees, urban a… Common Song

Learn to identify the European Starling by ear. Master the "chattering ramble" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“whistles and chatters”

What the European Starling sounds like

Medium-sized, short-tailed songbird with glossy black plumage. Depending on the light, adults show iridescent purples and greens, especially on the head and chest.

“chattering ramble”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A highly varied mix of musical whistles, clicks, rattles, and harsh chatters. The European Starling's song is a continuous stream of sounds that can include high clear notes, buzzy trills, and imitations of other noises. Males often sing in spring from high perches (like tree tops or rooftops), sometimes fluttering their wings. The song can sound discordant and rambling to the human ear, with sequences of warbling interspersed with mechanical-sounding tones. Often written as “whistles and chatters”.
Don't confuse with:The Common Grackle — grackles are larger (about 12 inches) with a longer keel-shaped tail and a more slender body. a male common grackle has a glossy purple-blue head and bronzy body (in the east) and a very distinctly bright yellow eye. grackles lack the starling's seasonal spots and have a uniform dark plumage (no speckles). in flight, grackles have a slower wingbeat and the long tail often appears as a trailing v-shape. also, grackles typically do not mimic sounds; their calls are harsh "readle-eak" or "squawk" sounds, different from starlings' mix of whistles.

Lessons featuring the European Starling

Ready to test your ear? Practice identifying the European Starling's sounds in these interactive in-app lessons.

Sidewalk Squad lesson habitat
Sidewalk Squad
Tier 2 · Around the Block
Town Specialists lesson habitat
Town Specialists
Tier 3 · Seasons & Specialists
The Mimic Trap lesson habitat
The Mimic Trap
Tier 8 · Edges & Echoes
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Where you'll hear it

Open areas with scattered trees, urban and suburban environments, farmlands

Most active during daylight hours, forming large flocks especially in fall and winter

Similar species

Common Grackle

Grackles are larger (about 12 inches) with a longer keel-shaped tail and a more slender body. A male Common Grackle has a glossy purple-blue head and bronzy body (in the east) and a very distinctly bright yellow eye. Grackles lack the starling's seasonal spots and have a uniform dark plumage (no speckles). In flight, grackles have a slower wingbeat and the long tail often appears as a trailing V-shape. Also, grackles typically do not mimic sounds; their calls are harsh "readle-eak" or "squawk" sounds, different from starlings' mix of whistles.

Brewer's Blackbird

Brewer's Blackbirds are found mostly in the Midwest and West (with some overlap in the Great Plains and parts of the Mississippi Valley). Male Brewer's Blackbirds are uniformly iridescent black with a purplish sheen and have bright pale yellow eyes, but they lack any spotting or speckling. Females are gray-brown with dark eyes. Both sexes have longer tails and a more slender build than starlings. Their bill is also shorter and not as pointed as a starling's.

European Starling song FAQ

What does an European Starling sound like?
A highly varied mix of musical whistles, clicks, rattles, and harsh chatters. The European Starling's song is a continuous stream of sounds that can include high clear notes, buzzy trills, and imitations of other noises. Males often sing in spring from high perches (like tree tops or rooftops), sometimes fluttering their wings. The song can sound discordant and rambling to the human ear, with sequences of warbling interspersed with mechanical-sounding tones. Listen for the "chattering ramble" phrase.
How do I tell an European Starling from a Common Grackle by sound?
Common Grackle: Grackles are larger (about 12 inches) with a longer keel-shaped tail and a more slender body. A male Common Grackle has a glossy purple-blue head and bronzy body (in the east) and a very distinctly bright yellow eye. Grackles lack the starling's seasonal spots and have a uniform dark plumage (no speckles). In flight, grackles have a slower wingbeat and the long tail often appears as a trailing V-shape. Also, grackles typically do not mimic sounds; their calls are harsh "readle-eak" or "squawk" sounds, different from starlings' mix of whistles.; Juvenile starlings (brown) might be confused with female or young grackles, but grackles always have a longer tail and a bigger size. Additionally, grackles often travel in looser flocks mixed with other blackbirds, whereas starlings tend to move in very tight, synchronized flocks especially when in large numbers..
When is the best time to hear an European Starling?
Most active during daylight hours, forming large flocks especially in fall and winter