# Help me identify this bird **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 20, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685 "2008-11-20T18:37:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/21 "2008-11-21T23:18:24Z")
Are there any birds like that-- ie, birds which form flocks of only immature individuals? ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/22 "2008-11-21T23:27:14Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > No crest like that. It really did look a lot like a starling, but just bigger and more robust. Plus there was the beautiful plumage with the green flecks. I’ve never heard starlings described as beautiful. They are basically just rats with wings IMO. They are really noisy rats that take over your feeder, but YMMV of course. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/23 "2008-11-21T23:41:24Z")
I can’t think of a single NA bird that has green speckles on the breast. Green on white? Green on black? Possibly \*brown \*on white? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/24 "2008-11-21T23:45:59Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > I’ve never heard starlings described as beautiful. They are basically just rats with wings IMO. They are really noisy rats that take over your feeder, but YMMV of course. If you don’t think a [Starling](http://www.rosssea.info/pix/big/Starling2.jpg) can be beautiful, I don’t think you’ve ever looked at one closely. The [green and purple highlights](http://h1.ripway.com/Scouts463/Birds/EuropeanStarling.jpg) can make them very attractive in the right light. In non-breeding plumage, the [“stars”](http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/images/2007/11/28/starling_353x470.jpg) can also make them look very nice. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/25 "2008-11-22T01:46:55Z")
The closest so far is the European starling. But it was more striking in appearance, and I can’t see it weighing only a few ounces. Well, this is a good excuse to get back down there again soon. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/26 "2008-12-15T01:28:38Z")
OK, [here is a picture](http://www.flickr.com/photos/31378036@N04/3107982409/). Blow it up and look for the circle. Otherwise, it’s hard to find the bird because it blends in so well. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/27 "2008-12-15T01:32:35Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > OK, [here is a picture](http://www.flickr.com/photos/31378036@N04/3107982409/). Blow it up and look for the circle. Otherwise, it’s hard to find the bird because it blends in so well. I’m pretty sure that’s a starling; the yellowish beak is distinctive. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/28 "2008-12-15T01:46:17Z")
> [@emilyforce](#): > > I’m pretty sure that’s a starling; the yellowish beak is distinctive. Agreed. ETA: I’d wager the iridescense caused the “green fleck” effect. As with [here](http://www.pbase.com/image/52481916) and [here](http://www.pbase.com/image/78356711). ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/29 "2008-12-15T01:53:20Z")
Even better, see the set [here](http://www.pbase.com/ole_thorsen/starling). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/30 "2008-12-15T02:00:10Z")
> [@emilyforce](#): > > I’m pretty sure that’s a starling; the yellowish beak is distinctive. I agree too. It’s pretty low resolution, but the proportions of the yellow beak in relation to the head look right for Starling. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/31 "2008-12-15T02:27:50Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > If you don’t think a [Starling](http://www.rosssea.info/pix/big/Starling2.jpg) can be beautiful, I don’t think you’ve ever looked at one closely. > > The [green and purple highlights](http://h1.ripway.com/Scouts463/Birds/EuropeanStarling.jpg) can make them very attractive in the right light. > > In non-breeding plumage, the [“stars”](http://www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria/content/images/2007/11/28/starling_353x470.jpg) can also make them look very nice. I suppose, but they’re loud, numerous, they chase away other birds and eat all the suet. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685/32 "2008-12-15T15:37:27Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Even better, see the set [here](http://www.pbase.com/ole_thorsen/starling). Yes, that’s it. My first hunch was starling, but for some reason I thought they were mostly black. Anyway, these are quite attractive birds. Thanks all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-bird/473685.md?page=1)