The largest starling, going on standard measurements and perhaps weight, is the Nias hill myna ( Gracula robusta). The shortest-bodied species is Kenrick's starling ( Poeoptera kenricki), at 15 cm (6 in), but the lightest-weight species is Abbott's starling ( Poeoptera femoralis), which is 34 g ( 1 + 1⁄ 4 oz). Description The common starling ( Sturnus vulgaris) has iridescent plumage. The birds can recognize particular individuals by their calls and are the subject of research into the evolution of human language. Starlings have diverse and complex vocalizations and have been known to embed sounds from their surroundings into their own calls, including car alarms and human speech patterns. Most species nest in holes and lay blue or white eggs. Plumage of many species is typically dark with a metallic sheen. Many species search for prey such as grubs by "open-bill probing", that is, forcefully opening the bill after inserting it into a crevice, thus expanding the hole and exposing the prey this behaviour is referred to by the German verb zirkeln (pronounced ). Several species live around human habitation and are effectively omnivores. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat insects and fruit. Starlings have strong feet, their flight is strong and direct, and they are very gregarious. The starling species familiar to most people in Europe and North America is the common starling, and throughout much of Asia and the Pacific, the common myna is indeed common. Several European and Asian species have been introduced to these areas, as well as North America, Hawaii, and New Zealand, where they generally compete for habitats with native birds and are considered to be invasive species. Starlings are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as northern Australia and the islands of the tropical Pacific. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent plumage. The family contains 128 species which are divided into 36 genera. The Sturnidae are named for the genus Sturnus, which in turn comes from the Latin word for starling, sturnus. Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. For other uses, see Starling (disambiguation).
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