SINGING STARLING

Photographed on Boigu Island, Torres Straits, March 2018.

1244                 SINGING STARLING                   Aplonis cantoroides

AUSTRALIA                739

Found in New Guinea and some adjacent islands, Bismarck Archipelago, Admiralty Islands and Solomon Islands; have been recorded in Australia on Boigu and Saibai Islands. Inhabit forest edges, gardens and cultivated areas with trees, urban areas and coconut groves. Eats figs and other soft fruit, sometimes insects.

STARLING

Photographed at Miranda, June 2017

(*  28)               STARLING               Sturnus vulgaris 

NEW ZEALAND             40

Found in farmland, orchards, parks, gardens, city streets, forest margins and beaches. 21 cm. A European introduction now found throughout New Zealand.    

ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING

Photographed on Langkawi, April 2017

(*  850)                      ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING               Aplonis panayensis    

MALAYSIA                55

Found in mangroves and coast to inland in all habitats except dry land forest; abundant in towns and villages, parkland and secondary woodland. 20 cm. Resident in Malaysian Peninsula.

BRAHMINY STARLING

March 2017

1124           BRAHMINY STARLING                Sturnia pagodarum

SRI LANKA              153

Found in forest, scrub and cultivation in flocks. 21 cm. Uncommon winter migrant to dry lowlands, mainly coastal areas.

ASIAN PIED STARLING

Photographed at Koshi Tappu, Nepal March 2017

992          ASIAN PIED STARLING                     Gracupica contra

NEPAL                46

Also known as Pied Myna. 23 cm. Found in cultivation, damp grassland and habitation. Common and widespread resident.

ROSY STARLING

Photographed on Cocos Islands December 2016.

(936)              ROSY STARLING              Sturnus roseus

AUSTRALIA (Cocos Islands)           (659)

Found in urban and rural areas. Range: Eastern Europe, Middle East to West and Central Asia; vagrant to Cocos Islands; recorded near Broome, WA Sep 2004; Coffs Harbour, NSW 2006.

Photographed on Cocos Island, January 2023

PURPLE-BACKED STARLING

Photographed in Singapore November 2016 

(883)              PURPLE-BACKED STARLING                  Sternus sturninus  

SINGAPORE         (7)        

Also known as Daurian Starling. 17-19 cm. Found in secondary growth, forest edges, open areas, cultivation; lowlands. Range: breeds in SE Asia, Siberia, Ussuriland, Sakhalin, Mongolia, N,NE China, N Korea; winters Sumatra, Java.

ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING

Photographed in Singapore November 2016

(see      850)              ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING                  Aplonis panayensis 

SINGAPORE         (3)        

Open woodland bird, found along forest edges and roadsides, and in plantations and villages with large trees. 20 cm. Oriental region: locally common resident own northern Sulawesi, but generally scare throughout Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java and Bali.

ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING

Photographed in north-west Bali October 2016

(850)              ASIAN GLOSSY STARLING                  Aplonis panayensis 

INDONESIA (Bali)         (70)        

Open woodland bird, found along forest edges and roadsides, and in plantations and villages with large trees. 20 cm. Oriental region: locally common resident own northern Sulawesi, but generally scare throughout Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java and Bali.

BLACK-WINGED STARLING

Photographed in north-west Bali October 2016

(847)              BLACK-WINGED STARLING              Acridotheres melanopterus 

INDONESIA (Bali)         (64)        

Found in open coastal woodlands and monsoon forest;also seen in nearby cultivated areas and on the edge of villages. 23 cms. Indonesian endemic: generally scare resident on Java and Bali; vagrant on Lombok.

METALLIC STARLINGS

Photographed at Tully, Queensland September 2015

 661         METALLIC STARLING        Aplonis metallica

Australia          (503)

Also known as Glossy or Shining Starling and Whirlwindbird. Found in rainforest, coastal woodlands, scrubs, mangroves, gardens. 21-24 cm Range: from Cape York (Q) s. to c. Mackay; inland to Big Tableland near Cooktown-Atherton Tableland. migratory; arrives from PNG mostly Aug.-Sept. to breed.; departs Feb.-April. Common in lowlands, less common in highlands. Nests in colonies, has three broods, the first two broods helping with raising the young in further broods. 

WATTLED STARLING

Wattled Starling, in non-breeding plummage.

384          WATTLED STARLING              Creatophora cinerea

South Africa            (77)

Range is across eastern and southern Africa, but beginning to extend into West Africa, and has also occurred in Arabia, Madagascar and the Seychelles. Found in grassland, open woodland and cultivation. 21 cm.

RED-WINGED STARLING

356         RED-WINGED STARLING              Onychognathus morio

South Africa      (49)

Known in Afrikaans as the rooivlerkspreeu. Range down eastern Africa from Ethiopia to the Cape in South Africa. 27-30 cm. Found in many habitats, including forest, savannah, grassland, wetland, fynbos, farmland and commercial plantations, as well as urban environments.

CHESTNUT-TAILED STARLING

334           CHESTNUT-TAILED STARLING              Sturnus malabaricus

Nepal        (11)

Range from India to Southeast Asia. Found in wooded habitat open woodland and cultivated areas. 20 cm.