Taking Starlings?

[canonloader]

I was messing around in You Tube the other day, search for Talking Mynah Birds. I did find some videos and they were great, but then I found several videos of talking Starlings. I am just amazed. They seem to make excellent pets. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRWCVG8sKEg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfdeOoUzL7A&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9waQFLwF7no&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f36CvRm3rJI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtQCHD1TuHo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3wAo5AsL1M&feature=related

[jmik26]

I am shocked at this also :eek:. The last couple videos you listed are amazing!

[canonloader]

Jeff, the starling is not protected, as an invasive species. Totally legal to keep them as pets. I will be looking for a baby this spring. ;)

The one with the bird talking to the phone was my favorite. :)

[scrumpy]

Starlings are well known here as great mimics, even in the wild. I am sure they are the same with you over there.
The best time to hear them is when the hen is incubating eggs and the cock has time on his hands. He'll sit near the nest and go through his vocabulary.
They will mimic everyday sounds they hear on a regular basis. Phones; police cars, fire engines and almost every other songbird in the area.

Most members of the crow family are also good mimics. Years ago I had two jays and they very quickly learned to mimic my Mother, usually calling me!

Thanks for the links Mitch.

[canonloader]

Hey Scrumpy, I had Starlings around the house when I was a kid, and one apartement I lived in awhile back. I would hear them every morning, talking to each other, and it sounded like some kind of language that I could almost understand. It was very interesting listening to them, trying to catch what they were saying. :)

I and my brothers also raised a few crows as we were growing up and they could all talk. Also fun birds to have around. They went and did everything with us, except go to school. :)

[gymell]

This isn't really related to starlings, but speaking of bird intelligence here's a good book: Bird Brains: The Intelligence of Crows, Ravens, Magpies, and Jays (http://www.amazon.com/Bird-Brains-Intelligence-Ravens-Magpies/dp/0871569566).