Common Starling vs Song Thrush: song (1 Viewer)

[01101001]

Here's a recording of a singing Starling from the US:

ML239217 European Starling Macaulay Library

Macaulay Library ML239217; © Wil Hershberger; Washington, Maryland, United States

macaulaylibrary.org

If weren't for the initial 'whee' sound*, I could've easily put it down as a Song Thrush and moved on (if it were heard in Europe). I know Starlings are mimics, and they imitate different species on both sides of the pond, but I have a question (1): has anyone had an experience of hearing a Starling's song similar to that of Song Thrush?

*Question No. (2): Does the distinctive downward-sloping whistle mean a Starling is singing, or could it also be used as a call, not song?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Butty]

It repeats phrases. In that fact, it resembles song thrush. But the phrases themselves are not like a song thrush, and I don't think - personally - that it could be confused with one.

 

[01101001]

Probably because their songs are usually harsher and less musical, but the very beginning of this one here sounds more fluty to me--even a bit thrushlike (then it 'deteriorates' somewhat).

 

[maplekong]

I’m not sure if you are talking about a European starling, but their songs are much scratchier (Edit: they sometimes resemble low clicks or ticking from the back of their throat)- our family calls them speckled screechers. I had a song thrush hanging around last week, it’s song was really loud, less hurried, and with a richer tone. It’s usually more noticeable than a starlings. Hope this helps!

 

[maplekong]

Also, the downward whistled cheeuuu cheeuu cheeuu does seem to be characteristic to a starling's song. Their call to nestlings is more of a harsh, grating eii, eii, eii, which the nestlings answer to. I'm not sure though, if anyone here is more experienced?

 

[01101001]

Yesterday I heard a Starling do a more of a shortish nasal call to its young, while they answered with a subdued grating sound.

 

[maplekong]

We have a nest in a neighbor's house, I just went outside to listen. It was a rather short nasal eii eii, but very hard to describe. As the weeks went by the nestlings are responding with a chorus of chirps, originally a grating racket. The cheuu cheuu whistle is definitely part of their song