Sturnidae
椋鸟科
liáng-niǎo kē

General

The following is based on analysis of dictionaries and other sources. Malay/Indonesian names are being revised. Comments and corrections are welcome.

In Chinese, the starlings are known as 椋鸟 liáng-niǎo, literally 'dogwood-bird', since 椋 liáng refers to Cornus macrophylla, a type of dogwood found in China.

However, the starlings do not actually have much to do with dogwoods. The bird name is actually from Japanese ムクドリ muku-dori (muku bird, written 椋鳥), where it was given based on the White-cheeked Starling's habit of eating the very sweet fruit of the muku tree (Aphananthe aspera) or ムクノキ muku-no-ki (椋木). The muku tree is known in Chinese as 糙叶树 cāoyè-shù. Since the character 椋 is used for different plants in Japan and China, the bird's name thus has a different meaning in Chinese from Japanese.

The most common starling in China is Sturnus cineraceus (White-cheeked Starling), for which there are a number of native Chinese names.

The mynahs are called 八哥 bā-gē 'eight big-brother'. Unqualified, 八哥 bā-gē refers to Acridotheres cristatellus, the Chinese Jungle Mynah, which occurs widely over southern China. The name 八哥 bā-gē is supposedly derived from white patches on the wings of this species, which look like the character 八 bā 'eight' in flight. An older, more traditional or literary name is 鸲鹆 qúyù.

The Southern Grackle or Hill Mynah Gracula religiosa is known as the 鹩哥 liáo-gē. There is an alternative name, 秦吉了 qín-jí-liǎo, which is said to derive from the bird's origin in the qín region, i.e., Shaanxi province. Confusion can occur between 八哥 bā-gē and 鹩哥 liáo-gē ; the distinction between the two in normal language is not necessarily as clear as ornithologists suggest.

Species names

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STURNINAE
SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH		CHINESE			EAST		SOUTH	NORTH
Ampeliceps
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Ampeliceps coronatus	Golden-crested myna Gold-crested mynah	金冠树八哥 (金冠樹八哥) jīn-guān shù bā-gē 'gold-crested tree mynah'			キガシラムクドリ (黄頭椋鳥) ki-gashira muku-dori 'yellow-headed muku-bird'		Chim Sáo vàng 'yellow starling (bird)'
Gracula
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Gracula religiosa	Hill myna Southern grackle Grackle Indian grackle	鹩哥 (鷯哥) liáo-gē 'liaoge'		秦吉了 (秦吉了) qín-jí-liǎo 'Qin jiliao' (qín area is Shaanxi prov.) 情急了 (情急了) qíng-jí- liǎo 'impatient' (folk etymology of the above?) 八哥 (八哥) bā-gē 'mynah' 了哥 (了哥) liǎo-gē 'liaoge' (variation on liáo-gē) 九官鸟 (九官鳥) jiǔguān-niǎo 'nine-rank bird'	キュウカンチョウ (九官鳥) kyūkan-chō 'nine-rank bird' (one theory : the bird comes after the eight Chinese bureaucratic ranks but ahead of ordinary commoners in intelligence)		Chim Nhồng 'mynah (bird)' or Chim Yểng 'mynah (bird)'
Acridotheres
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Acridotheres grandis Note	Great myna White-vented myna Great mynah Jungle myna	林八哥 (林八哥) lín bā-gē 'forest mynah' (1, 2, 3, 4) 丛八哥 (叢八哥) cóng bā-gē 'jungle mynah' (5) Note			オオハッカ (大八哥) ō hakka 'large hakka'		Chim Sáo mỏ vàng 'yellow-billed starling (bird)' Note
Acridotheres cristatellus	Crested myna Chinese jungle mynah	八哥 (八哥) bā-gē 'mynah' ('literally eight big-brother', from shape of wing markings)	(八哥) 八哥 bā-gē 'mynah' ('literally eight big-brother', from shape of wing markings)	鸲鹆 (鴝鵒) qúyù 'quyu' 牛背鹩 (牛背鷯) niú-bèi liáo 'ox-back liao' (cf liaoge below) 鹦鹆 (鸚鵒) yīng-yù 'parrot mynah' 寒皋 (寒皋) hán-gào 'cold riverbank' (literal meaning) 华华 (華華) huáhuá 'splendid splendid' (literal meaning)	ハッカチョウ (八哥鳥) hakka-chō 'hakka bird' (from Chinese)		Chim Sáo đen 'black starling (bird)' or Sáo mỏ ngà 'ivory-billed starling (bird)'	Тольт хартотол tol't khartotol 'beautiful black-starling'
Acridotheres albocinctus	Collared myna White-collared mynah	白领八哥 (白領八哥) bái-lǐng bā-gē 'white-collared mynah'			シロエリハッカ (白襟八哥) shiro-eri hakka 'white-collared hakka'
Acridotheres tristis	Common myna Common mynah House myna	家八哥 (家八哥) jiā bā-gē 'house mynah'	(家八哥) 家八哥 jiā bā-gē 'house mynah' (introduced)		カバイロハッカ (樺色八哥) kaba-iro hakka 'birch-coloured hakka'(=reddish yellow/yellowish brown colour)		Chim Sáo nâu 'brown starling (bird)'
Sturnus
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Sturnus burmannicus Acridotheres burmannicus	Vinous-breasted starling Jerdon's starling	红嘴椋鸟 (紅嘴椋鳥) hóng-zuǐ liáng-niǎo 'red-billed dogwood-bird'			シロガシラムクドリ (白頭椋鳥) shiro-gashira muku-dori 'white-headed muku-bird'		Chim Sáo sậu đầu trắng 'white-headed sậu starling (bird)'
Sturnus nigricollis Gracupica nigricollis	Black-collared starling Black-necked starling	黑领椋鸟 (黑領椋鳥) hēi-lǐng liáng-niǎo 'black-collared dogwood-bird'	(黑领椋鸟) 黑領椋鳥 hēi-lǐng liáng-niǎo 'black-collared dogwood-bird'		クビワムクドリ (首輪椋鳥) kubi-wa muku-dori 'ring-necked muku-bird'		Chim Sáo sậu 'sậu starling (bird)' or Chim Cà cưỡng 'cà cưỡng bird' (Alternative in 13)
Sturnus contra Gracupica contra	Asian pied starling Pied starling	斑椋鸟 (斑椋鳥) bān liáng-niǎo 'striped dogwood-bird'			ホオジロムクドリ (頬白椋鳥) hō-jiro muku-dori 'white-cheeked muku-bird'		Chim Sáo đá Á châu 'Asian stone-starling (bird)' Chim Sáo đá Châu Á 'Asian stone-starling (bird)' (13)
Sturnus sturninus Sturnia sturnina Agropsar sturninus	Purple-backed starling or Daurian starling	北椋鸟 (北椋鳥) běi liáng-niǎo 'northern dogwood-bird'	(北椋鸟) 北椋鳥 běi liáng-niǎo 'northern dogwood-bird'		シベリアムクドリ (シベリア椋鳥) shiberia muku-dori 'Siberian muku-bird'	북방쇠찌르레기 bukbang-soe-jjireuregi 'northern small starling'	Chim Sáo đá lưng đen 'black-backed stone-starling (bird)'	Хурган тодлой khurgaŋ todloi 'lamb starling (variant)' Former official: Хурган тодол khurgaŋ todol 'lamb starling'
Sturnus philippensis Sturnia philippensis Agropsar philippensis	Chestnut-cheeked starling Violet-backed starling	紫背椋鸟 (紫背椋鳥) zǐ-bèi liáng-niǎo 'purple-backed dogwood-bird'	(小椋鸟) 小椋鳥 xiǎo liáng-niǎo 'small dogwood-bird'		コムクドリ (小椋鳥) ko muku-dori 'small muku-bird'	쇠찌르레기 soe-jjireuregi 'small starling'
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Sturnus sinensis Sturnia sinensis	White-shouldered starling Chinese starling Grey-backed starling	灰背椋鸟 (灰背椋鳥) huī-bèi liáng-niǎo 'grey-backed dogwood-bird'	(灰背椋鸟) 灰背椋鳥 huī-bèi liáng-niǎo 'grey-backed dogwood-bird' Taiwan former official: (噪林鸟) 噪林鳥 zào lín-niǎo 'noisy forest bird'		カラムクドリ (唐椋鳥) kara muku-dori 'Chinese muku-bird'	잿빛쇠찌르레기 jaetbit-soe-jjireuregi 'ash-coloured small starling'	Chim Sáo đá Trung Quốc 'Chinese stone-starling (bird)'
Sturnus malabaricus Sturnia malabarica	Chestnut-tailed starling Ashy-headed starling Grey-headed starling	灰头椋鸟 (灰頭椋鳥) huī-tóu liáng-niǎo 'grey-headed dogwood-bird'	(灰头椋鸟) 灰頭椋鳥 huī-tóu liáng-niǎo 'grey-headed dogwood-bird' (introduced)		インドコムクドリ (インド小椋鳥) indo ko muku-dori 'Indian small muku-bird'		Chim Sáo đá đuôi hung 'reddish-tailed stone-starling (bird)'
Sturnus pagodarum Temenuchus pagodarum	Brahminy starling Black-headed starling	黑冠椋鸟 (黑冠椋鳥) hēi-guān liáng-niǎo 'black-crested dogwood-bird'			ズグロムクドリ (頭黒椋鳥) zu-guro muku-dori 'black-headed muku-bird'
Sturnus roseus Pastor roseus	Rosy starling Rose-coloured starling	粉红椋鸟 (粉紅椋鳥) fěn-hóng liáng-niǎo 'pink dogwood-bird'	(粉红椋鸟) 粉紅椋鳥 fěn-hóng liáng-niǎo 'pink dogwood-bird'		バライロムクドリ (薔薇色椋鳥) bara-iro muku-dori 'rose-coloured muku-bird'	분홍찌르레기 bunhong-jjireuregi 'pink starling'	Chim Sáo hồng 'rosy starling (bird)' (13)	Ягаан тодол yagaaŋ todol 'pink starling' Former official: Ягаан жимсэн yagaaŋ jimseŋ 'pink fruit'
Sturnus sericeus Spodiopsar sericeus	Red-billed starling Silky starling	丝光椋鸟 (絲光椋鳥) sīguāng liáng-niǎo 'silk-light dogwood-bird'	(丝光椋鸟) 絲光椋鳥 sīguāng liáng-niǎo 'silk-light dogwood-bird'		ギンムクドリ (銀椋鳥) gin muku-dori 'silver muku-bird'	붉은부리찌르레기 bulgeun-buri-jjireuregi 'red-billed starling'	Chim Sáo đá đầu trắng 'white-headed stone-starling (bird)'
Latin	English	Chinese	Chinese (Taiwan)	Other Ch	Japanese	Korean	Vietnamese	Mongolian
Sturnus cineraceus Spodiopsar cineraceus	White-cheeked starling Grey starling Ashy starling	灰椋鸟 (灰椋鳥) huī liáng-niǎo 'grey dogwood-bird'	(灰椋鸟) 灰椋鳥 huī liáng-niǎo 'grey dogwood-bird'	高梁头 (高粱頭) gāo liáng tóu 'gaoliang head' 管莲子 (管蓮子) guǎn-liánzi 'guanlianzi (pipe lotus?)' 竹雀 (竹雀) zhú-què 'bamboo sparrow' 假画眉 (假畫眉) jiǎ huà-méi 'false hwamei' 杜丽雀 (杜麗雀) dù lì-què 'cuckoo? beautiful sparrow'	ムクドリ (椋鳥) muku-dori 'muku-bird'	찌르레기 jjireuregi 'starling'	Chim Sáo đá má trắng 'white-cheeked stone-starling (bird)'	Бор тодол bor todol 'dun starling'
Sturnus vulgaris	European starling Common starling Purple-winged starling	紫翅椋鸟 (紫翅椋鳥) zǐ-chì liáng-niǎo 'purple-winged dogwood-bird'	(欧洲椋鸟) 歐洲椋鳥 ōuzhōu liáng-niǎo 'European dogwood-bird'	欧椋鸟 (歐椋鳥) ōu liáng-niǎo 'European dogwood-bird' 欧洲八哥 (歐洲八哥) ōuzhōu bā-gē 'European mynah'	ホシムクドリ (星椋鳥) hoshi muku-dori 'starred muku-bird'	흰점찌르레기 huin-jeom-jjireuregi 'white-spotted starling'	Chim Sáo đá xanh 'blue/green stone-starling (bird)'	Хар тодол khar todol 'black starling'

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