Real Dictionary

starling
countable noun: A starling is a very common bird with greenish-black feathers covered in pale spots which is found in Europe and North America. Starlings often fly around in large groups.

starling in American English
any of an Old World family (Sturnidae) of dark-colored passerine birds with a short tail, long wings, and a sharp, pointed bill; esp., the common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) with iridescent plumage, introduced into the U.S., where it is now often a pest

starling in American English 1
noun: a chunky, medium-sized European passerine bird, Sturnus vulgaris, of iridescent black plumage with seasonal speckles, that nests in colonies: introduced into North America

starling in American English 2
noun: a pointed cluster of pilings for protecting a bridge pier from drifting ice, debris, etc

Starling in British English
noun: Ernest Henry. 1866–1927, British physiologist, who contributed greatly to the understanding of many bodily functions and with William Bayliss (1860–1924) discovered the hormone secretin (1902)

starling in British English 1
noun: any gregarious passerine songbird of the Old World family Sturnidae, esp Sturnus vulgaris, which has a blackish plumage and a short tail

starling in British English 2
noun: an arrangement of piles that surround a pier of a bridge to protect it from debris, etc