RED- WINGED STARLING. 3 x 



He adds, that, " in a confined state, they are very docile, and 

 may easily be taught to repeat short phrases, or whistle tunes 

 with great exactness." 



The red-winged starling (fig. 1.) is nine inches long, and 

 fourteen inches in extent ; the general colour is a glossy black, 

 with the exception of the whole lesser wing-coverts, the first, 

 or lower row of which is of a reddish cream colour, the rest a 

 rich and splendid scarlet ; legs and bill, glossy brownish black ; 

 irides, hazel ; bill, cylindrical above, compressed at the sides, 

 straight, running considerably up the forehead, where it is 

 prominent, rounding and flattish towards the tip, though 

 sharp-pointed ; tongue, nearly as long as the bill, tapering and 

 lacerated at the end ; tail, rounded, the two middle feathers 

 also somewhat shorter than those immediately adjoining. 



The female (fig. 2.) is seven inches and a quarter in length, 

 and twelve inches in extent ; chin, a pale reddish cream ; from 

 the nostril over the eye, and from the lower mandible, run 

 two stripes of the same, speckled with black ; from the 

 posterior angle of the eye backwards, a streak of brownish 

 black covers the auriculars ; throat, and whole lower parts, 

 thickly streaked with black and white, the latter inclining to 

 cream on the breast; whole plumage above, black, each 

 feather bordered with pale brown, white, or bay, giving the 

 bird a very mottled appearance ; lesser coverts, the same ; 

 bill and legs as in the male. 



The young birds at first greatly resemble the female ; but 

 have the plumage more broadly skirted with brown. The 

 red early shows itself on the lesser wing-coverts of the males, 

 at first pale, inclining to orange, and partially disposed. The 

 brown continues to skirt the black plumage for a year or two, 

 so that it is rare to find an old male altogether destitute of 

 some remains of it ; but the red is generally complete in 

 breadth and brilliancy by the succeeding spring. The females 

 are entirely destitute of that ornament. 



The flesh of these birds is but little esteemed, being, in 

 general, black, dry, and tough. Strings of them are, however, 

 frequently seen exposed for sale in our markets. 



