Crossword puzzles are popular word games that challenge solvers to fill in answers based on clues. Many crossword clues relate to specific topics, and this can include clues about animals or birds. If a crossword clue asks for a bird in the starling family, it is likely referring to one of the many species in the Sturnidae family of birds. Some quick research can help identify the specific bird being clued.
What is the Starling Family of Birds?
The starling family Sturnidae is a family of small to medium-sized passerine birds found in the Old World. There are over 100 species in this family, including the common starling, mynas, oxpeckers, and others. Some key features of starlings include their strong legs, noisy behavior, and glossy plumage.
Starlings are songbirds with strong feet that are adapted for terrestrial feeding. Their bills are long and pointed, suited for probing into the ground. Plumage is typically dark and iridescent, with many species having brightly colored patches or spots. Starlings are extremely social and noisy birds that travel in large, chattering flocks.
All starlings are omnivorous, feeding on fruit, nectar, insects, grains, and small invertebrates. They forage primarily on the ground, using their specialized bills to search for food. Some starlings have become very successful at adapting to human habitation and are considered agricultural pests.
Well-known starling species include:
– Common starling – widespread throughout Eurasia and introduced populations in North America, Australia. Small black bird with iridescent purple-green tones.
– European starling – the common starling found throughout most of Europe.
– Common myna – brown bird with yellow patches, native to Asia. Introduced in many other parts of the world.
– Bank myna – stocky myna with distinct head markings, native to South Asia.
– Common hill myna – found in hill regions of South and Southeast Asia. Stocky black myna with bright yellow wattles.
– Asian pied starling – chunky myna with white speckling, native range in South and Southeast Asia.
– Wattled starling – African species with black plumage and yellow cheek patches.
– Greater blue-eared starling – blue iridescence on wings and head, found in Asia.
– Black-collared starling – yellow-billed with black head markings, found in East Asia.
So in summary, the Sturnidae family encompasses all birds known as starlings, mynas, and oxpeckers. There are many genera and species found worldwide.
Common Crossword Clues for Starlings
Here are some common clues used in crosswords that could be referring to a starling species:
– “Common black bird” or “Widespread black bird” – These types of clues usually indicate the common starling.
– “Irridescent black bird” or “Purplish-green black bird” – Also suggests the common starling.
– “Spotted Asian bird” or “Asian bird with white spots” – Likely pointing to the Asian pied starling.
– “Indian bird” or “Social Indian bird” – Probably the common myna, which is from India but found worldwide.
– “African oxpecker” – Clues about oxpeckers refer to the red-billed or yellow-billed oxpeckers found in Africa.
– “Singapore bird” or “Southeast Asian bird” – Could indicate the Asian pied starling or other starlings native to SE Asia like the common hill myna.
– “Noisy flocking bird” – The social and noisy nature of starlings makes this a good clue for multiple starling species.
– “Bird with yellow cheek” – Refers to the wattled starling and its yellow cheek patches.
So in summary, common crossword clues will mention the coloration, native region, behavior, or specific features like iridescence, spots, cheeks, etc that help identify starling species. The common starling and mynas are featured most regularly as crossword answers.
Identifying the Starling Clue Based on Crossword Context
To identify the specific starling species in a crossword puzzle clue, it helps to consider the context provided by other clues and answers:
– Note the number of letters required – this narrows down species with a matching name length.
– Look at across/down clues – clues intersecting the starling clue might reference a location like “Asia” or “Africa” to indicate the region.
– Consider other bird clues – if other clues are about birds generally, the starling clue may be more obscure/specific versus a common species.
– Theme clues – some crosswords have themes that could point to a specific starling (ex. a puzzle themed around India could clue “myna”).
– Past answers – look at other filled answers to see if they are all widespread common species or more focused on a certain region.
With these tactics in mind, solvers can make an educated guess about the likely starling species being clued based on the context. If still uncertain, looking up lists of starlings and double-checking the letter count can provide the final piece to determine the answer. Crossword puzzle resources are also handy for identifying bird names that fit for difficult clues.
Examples of Starling Clues with Explanations
Let’s analyze some sample starling crossword clues to demonstrate how puzzle solvers can approach identifying the specific species:
Clue: Common black bird (5 letters)
Reasoning: Widespread and black points to the common starling. 5 letters fits “sturn” or “stern”.
Answer: Stern
Clue: Bird of Southeast Asia (4 letters)
Reasoning: Of Southeast Asia indicates a species from that region. 4 letters fits “myna”.
Answer: Myna
Clue: Bright yellow cheek patches (13 letters)
Reasoning: Distinctive yellow cheek patches describes the wattled starling. 13 letters fits “oxpecker”.
Answer: Wattledstarling
Clue: Glossy Indian bird (6 letters)
Reasoning: Glossy plumage and Indian region indicates the common myna. 6 letters confirms “mynah”.
Answer: Mynah
Clue: Bird that feeds on cattle (10 letters)
Reasoning: Oxpeckers feed on ticks on cattle. 10 letters points to “oxpecker”.
Answer: Oxpecker
So in summary, carefully reading each clue and using reasoning, letter counts, and crossword context helps determine the specific starling species. Bird identification resources can also assist if needed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are over 100 species in the starling family that may be referenced in crossword puzzle clues. Common starlings, mynas, oxpeckers, and other starling species are widespread birds that are frequently clued. Solvers can pay close attention to details like location, distinctive features, behaviors, and letter length to decipher the specific starling species hinted at in the clue based on crossword context. Resources like bird guides and online databases can also assist if needed to identify the bird species referenced by starling crossword clues. With some deductive reasoning and bird knowledge, puzzlers can confidently solve tricky starling clues in crosswords.