STURNIDAE

songbird family, order Passeriformes, consisting of the starlings, mynas, and oxpeckers, about 107 species of jaunty, aggressive birds distributed worldwide. Members range in size from 16.5 to 42 centimetres (6.5 to 16.5 inches) long. They have slightly downcurved bills, long, pointed wings, and strong legs and feet. Starlings are typically dark coloured, often with metallic sheen. Some are crested or display wattles or bare patches of skin. They chatter continually while in flight and when roosting, often gathering in spectacular numbers. The widespread common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) consumes large numbers of insects but also feeds on grain and small fruits, competing severely with other desirable songbirds. Since their introduction into North America in 1890 (Central Park, N.Y.), they have grown to such large numbers that they are widely regarded as pests in and near cities. The Asian hill mynas (Gracula religiosa) are notable talking cage birds. African oxpeckers (Buphagus) extract ticks from the hides of large animals. Several starlings are now extinct, among the most curious of which is the mysterious starling (Aplonis mavornata), not seen since 1774, when only one specimen was collected somewhere in the Pacific. The Sturnidae is a well-defined family belonging to the songbird suborder (Passeres).