One of our most common urban birds, European Starlings are spectacularly spotted, streaked, and glossy.

Chapel Hill, NC 9/8/07.

Winter-plumaged adults, such as the one at left, are more heavily spotted and less glossy than breeding-plumaged adults. They also have dark bills; breeding adults have yellow bills.

Same bird.

Dare Co., NC 11/9/08.

Dare Co., NC 11/9/08.