In the magnificent paradise gardens of the early Christian and Byzantine mosaics of Ravenna, rich in both native and exotic animal species, the starling only appears in the Archiepiscopal Chapel. It is depicted against a rich golden background, framed by four rosettes, and is part of the splendid hortus conclusus of the vestibule. The starling was a very common bird that moved in flocks and lived in communities. The dark and shimmering feathering, speckled with tiny white feathers, resembles a starry sky. The mosaic artist has rendered this feature through the juxtaposing of white, black and grey tesserae, arranged in a checkboard pattern and following a precise rhythm. The black tesserae, laid in a sinuous pattern, define the beak, the shape of the head, wings and legs. The style of the mosaic is suspended between Hellenistic naturalistic observation and stylisation and mysticism, maximally expressed by the golden background, of Oriental origin.