European Starling

Also known as Common Starling, English Starling, Purple-winged Starling

Famous for their mesmerizing autumnal murmurations, European starlings swirl through winter skies in synchronized clouds of thousands to evade aerial predators. They are gifted vocal mimics, incorporating frog calls, car alarms, and songs of other birds into their energetic chatter. Introduced widely outside their native Eurasian range, their glossy purple and green plumage transforms into a heavily speckled starscape each autumn as feather tips wear down.