 The common starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ) , also known as the European starling , or in the British Isles just the starling , is a medium @-@ sized passerine bird in the starling family , Sturnidae . It is about 20 cm ( 8 in ) long and has glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen , which is speckled with white at some times of year . The legs are pink and the bill is black in winter and yellow in summer ; young birds have browner plumage than the adults . It is a noisy bird , especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations , with an unmusical but varied song . Its gift for mimicry has been noted in literature including the Mabinogion and the works of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare . 
 The common starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ) , also known as the European starling , or in the British Isles just the starling , <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>is</mark></a>a medium @-@ sized passerine bird in the starling family , Sturnidae . It <a href='drop_aux' title='2'><mark>is</mark></a>about 20 cm ( 8 in ) long and <a href='got' title='3'><mark>has</mark></a> glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen , which is speckled with white at some times of year . The legs are pink and the bill <a href='drop_aux' title='4'><mark>is</mark></a>black in winter and yellow in summer ; young birds <a href='got' title='5'><mark>have</mark></a> browner plumage than the adults . It <a href='drop_aux' title='6'><mark>is</mark></a>a noisy bird , especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations , with an unmusical but varied song . Its gift for mimicry <a href='been_done' title='7'><mark>has</mark></a> been noted in literature including the Mabinogion and the works of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare . 
The common starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ) , also known as da European starling , or in tdaBritish Isles just thdatarling , a medium @-@ sized passerine bird in the starling family , Sturnidae . It about 20 cm ( 8 in ) long and got glossy black plumage w/ a metallic sheen , which is speckled with white at sum times of year . The legs r pink and the bill black in winter and yellow in summer ; young birds got browner plumage den the adults . It a noisy bird , especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations , with an unmusical but varied song . Its gift fir mimicry done been noted in literature including the Mabinogion and thedarks of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare .