226 DICTIONARY OF NAMES OF BRITISH BIRDS. 
STANDGALL: The KESTREL. (Provincial.) An equivalent to 
“ Stannel ” (q.v.), not a corruption of “ Stand-gale ” as has 
been surmised. 
STANDHAWK: The KESTREL. (Provincial) lit. “ stone- 
hawk ” (A.Sax. stan—stone). 
STANECHACKER: The WHEATEAR (Lancashire, Scotland, North 
Ireland); also the STONECHAT (Craven, Scotland). 
STANEPECKER: The TURNSTONE. (Shetlands.) From its 
habit of turning over small stones in searching for its food. 
The name is also applied to the PURPLE SANDPIPER. 
STANK-HEN or STANKIE: The MOORHEN. (Scottish Borders.) 
Bolam says Stank is almost an equivalent of moat and 
cites “the Stanks ” at Berwick which are parts of the old 
moat surrounding the town. 
STANNEL, STANNEL-HAWK, STANCHEL or STANNYEL: The 
KESTREL. (Provincial) lit. “ stone-yeller,” from A.Sax. 
stan=stone and gellan (pron. yellan) to yell. There are 
many forms of this name occurring in Elizabethan and 
more recent literature and some are still in use provincially. 
Probably the original word is “Staniel.” “Standgale ” 
appears to be a corruption, as this word has no connexion 
with the sense of the word “ Windhover.” (See also 
Standgall, Steingall, Stonegall.) 
Stannin (Standing?) Hawk: The SPARROW-HAWK. 
(Halifax.) 
Srarac. A Gaelic name for the HOODED CROW. 
SraRE: The STARLING. (West and North of England ; 
Ireland.) The original name of the bird, from A.Sax. ster, 
Starling being a diminutive. Occurs in Willughby and 
Merrett, while Pennant (ed. 1766) calls the bird by this 
name. 
STARLING [No. 13]. From A.Sax. Steer, Stearn and Sterlyng, 
the latter being a diminutive. The name appears in Merrett 
and Willughby. Turner (1544) has “Sterlyng.” (See also 
‘“‘Stare.”) A provincial belief is that if Starlings congregate 
in large numbers rain may be expected, but Swainson says 
that in Brittany the belief is that it is a sign of impending 
cold weather. 
Starn. An old Norfolk name for the BLACK TERN. Also a 
Shetland name for the STARLING. 
STaRNEL: The STARLING. (Northants.) 
Srarnit: The STARLING. (Notts.) 
STEENIE PouTER: The COMMON SANDPIPER. (Orkneys.) 
