RED- WINGED STARLING. 
31 
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 shews 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. 
