Starling (structure)

In architecture, a starling (or sterling) is a defensive bulwark, usually built with pilings or bricks or blocks of stone, surrounding the supports (or piers) of a bridge or similar construction.

Starlings may be shaped to ease the flow of the water around the bridge, reducing the damage caused by erosion or collisions with flood-borne debris or river traffic. They may also form an important part of the structure of the bridge, spreading the weight of the piers.

The term cutwater is used for such a structure shaped with water flow in mind, as a pier or starling with a diamond point.^[1] A starkwater is a bulwark against ice floes.

Depending on their shape and location, some starlings may accumulate river debris, mud and other objects, potentially creating navigational hazards or hindering downstream water flow.