Comments on: Starling http://joeberkovitz.com/blog/2006/04/16/starling/ Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 13 Aug 2010 18:04:58 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: D. Couch http://joeberkovitz.com/blog/2006/04/16/starling/comment-page-1/#comment-14 D. Couch Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:04:06 +0000 http://www.joeberkovitz.com/blog/?p=11#comment-14 European Starlings (Sturum Vulgaris) are almost magical in nature. I have several rescued from outdoor cats, to those injured from the side of the road. Included in the Starling family is the Minah bird sold in Pet shops. Like the Minah, the Starling is quit adept at mimicry. Our shining "Star" at last count has 38 phrases in her vocabulary, and seems to understand syntax. Example; She picked up the phrase "be nice to mommy" and now says "Be nice to Speckie", having substituted her name for "Mommy". European Starlings (Sturum Vulgaris) are almost magical in nature. I have several rescued from outdoor cats, to those injured from the side of the road. Included in the Starling family is the Minah bird sold in Pet shops. Like the Minah, the Starling is quit adept at mimicry. Our shining “Star” at last count has 38 phrases in her vocabulary, and seems to understand syntax. Example; She picked up the phrase “be nice to mommy” and now says “Be nice to Speckie”, having substituted her name for “Mommy”.

]]> By: Alistair Robinson http://joeberkovitz.com/blog/2006/04/16/starling/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Alistair Robinson Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:22:49 +0000 http://www.joeberkovitz.com/blog/?p=11#comment-13 Just over a year since you posted this, I posted <em>this</em>: <a href="http://jamalrob.blogspot.com/2007/04/public-relations-for-starlings-and.html" rel="nofollow">Starling PR, The Flocking Algorithm and Avian Beatboxers</a>, which may interest you - it's not just their complex song that makes them interesting. As a European, I must apologize for the introduction of the starling, which has had some bad consequences in America. But perhaps the bird's charms outweigh its more unfortunate habits. Just over a year since you posted this, I posted this: Starling PR, The Flocking Algorithm and Avian Beatboxers, which may interest you – it’s not just their complex song that makes them interesting.

As a European, I must apologize for the introduction of the starling, which has had some bad consequences in America. But perhaps the bird’s charms outweigh its more unfortunate habits.

]]> By: Daniel R. http://joeberkovitz.com/blog/2006/04/16/starling/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Daniel R. Wed, 19 Apr 2006 11:51:26 +0000 http://www.joeberkovitz.com/blog/?p=11#comment-12 There is an old anthropology paper called <a href="http://www.msu.edu/~jdowell/miner.html" rel="nofollow">Body Ritual among the Nacirema</a> that tries to look at the question of the "complexity of our own behavior" and how an outsider might view it. There is an old anthropology paper called Body Ritual among the Nacirema that tries to look at the question of the “complexity of our own behavior” and how an outsider might view it.

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