The New Student's Reference Work/Starling

Star′ling, a name for a number of common birds found only in the Eastern hemisphere, but lacking in Australia.  This is the more remarkable as a starling is found in New Zealand, and others in various southern Pacific islands.  The common starling of Europe is the best known.  It is a beautiful bird with a dark plumage, having metallic green and purple reflections, and each feather tipped with buff.  It nests near houses in bird boxes, when they are provided, and is easily tamed. It can be taught different notes and also to speak words; it is therefore often caged.  They kill an immense number of insects and are beneficial to the gardener.  A starling inhabiting the steppes and plains of Western Asia devours so many locusts that it is called the locust bird.  The ox-pecker of Africa is also a starling.