 The common starling 's gift for mimicry has long been recognised . In the medieval Welsh Mabinogion , Branwen tamed a common starling , " taught it words " , and sent it across the Irish Sea with a message to her brothers , Bran and Manawydan , who then sailed from Wales to Ireland to rescue her . Pliny the Elder claimed that these birds could be taught to speak whole sentences in Latin and Greek , and in Henry IV , William Shakespeare had Hotspur declare " The king forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer . But I will find him when he is asleep , and in his ear I 'll holler ' Mortimer ! ' Nay I 'll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but Mortimer , and give it to him to keep his anger still in motion . " 
 The common starling <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>gift for mimicry <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>has</mark></a> long been recognised . In the medieval Welsh Mabinogion , Branwen tamed a common starling , " taught it <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>words</mark></a> " , and sent it across the Irish Sea with a message to her brothers , Bran and Manawydan , <a href='null_relcl' title='4'><mark>who</mark></a>then sailed from Wales to Ireland to rescue her . Pliny the Elder claimed that these birds could be taught to speak whole sentences in Latin and Greek , and in Henry IV , William Shakespeare had Hotspur declare " The king forbade my tongue to speak of Mortimer . But I will find him when he <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>is</mark></a>asleep , and in his ear I 'll holler ' Mortimer ! ' Nay I 'll have a starling shall be taught to speak nothing but Mortimer , and give it to him to keep his anger still in motion . " 
Da common starling  gift for mimicry done long been recognised . In tdamedieval Welsh Mabinogion , Branwen tamed a common starling , " taught it word " , and sent it across the Irish Sea w a message to her brothers , Bran and Manawydan , then sailed from Wales to Ireland to rescue her . Pliny the Elder claimed dat dese birds could be taught to speak whole sentences in Latin and Greek , and in Henry IV , William Shakespeare had Hotspur declare " The king forbade mah tongue to speak of Mortimer . But I'ma find him when he asleep , and in his ear I 'll holler ' Mortimer ! ' Nay I 'll have a starling shall b taught to speak nothing but Mortimer , and give it to him to keep his anger still in motion . "