 The common starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ) , also known as the European starling , or in the British Isles just the starling , is a medium @-@ sized <unk> bird in the starling family , Sturnidae . It is about 20 cm ( 8 in ) long and has glossy black plumage with a metallic <unk> , 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 <unk> plumage than the adults . It is a noisy bird , especially in communal roosts and other gregarious situations , with an <unk> but varied song . Its gift for mimicry has been noted in literature including the <unk> and the works of Pliny the Elder and William Shakespeare . 
