Sturnum Vulgaris, sing me a song

While working in the garden today, I heard a lot of noise coming from a tree in the neighbour’s garden. It sounded like a bunch of birds of different species fighting. I walked over to the fence, and noticed… a solitary European starling sitting high up on a branch. All the noise (I could distinctly make out a magpie and a blackbird, and possibly the scratching call of a great tit) came from that single bird. It was quietly sitting on its branch and every once in a while burst out in this mixed up song, which seemed to include mobile ringtones as well, before cocking its head and presumably listening for an answer in the distance. Fascinating.

Starling

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