STARLING

[star.ling] n [ME, fr. OE staerlinc, fr. staer starling + -ling, -linc -ling; akin to OHG stara starling, L sturnus] (bef. 12c): any of a family (Sturnidae, esp. genus Sturnus) of usu. dark gregarious oscine birds; esp: a dark brown or in summer glossy greenish black European bird (S. vulgaris) naturalized nearly worldwide and often considered a pest