Backyard Birds

Bird Genus: Sturnus / Starlings

The Bird Genus Sturnus includes starlings found across most of Eurasia; although the European Starling, has been introduced to South Africa, North America, Australia and New Zealand. The more northern populations are completely or partially migratory and generally travel south for the winter.

They nest in tree cavities or in buildings. Their diet consists of insects and seeds taken off the ground.

Even though there are significant variations in plumages between the different species, they share the same triangular wing shape.

  • White-faced Starling, Sturnus albofrontatus (sometimes named S. senex) – Found in Sri Lanka
  • White-shouldered Starling, Sturnus sinensis – Found in Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam
  • Brahminy Starling, Sturnus pagodarum – Found in eastern Afghanistan, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka.
  • Vinous-breasted Starling, Sturnus burmannicus (sometimes separated in Gracupica) – Found in Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam
  • Black-winged Starling, Sturnus melanopterus (sometimes placed in Acridotheres) – Found in Indonesia
  • Rosy Starling or Rose-colored Starling, Sturnus roseus – Found in easternmost Europe across temperate southern Asia
  • Red-billed Starling, Sturnus sericeus – Found in China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.
  • White-cheeked or Starling, Sturnus cineraceus – The breeding range covers central and north-east China, Korea, Japan and south-east Siberia
  • Common or European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris – Found in most of temperate Europe and western Asia
  • Spotless Starling, Sturnus unicolor – Found in the Iberian peninsula, northwest Africa, Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica
  • Purple-backed Starling or Daurian Starling, Sturnus sturninus – Found in Cambodia, China, Christmas Island, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Vietnam and Yemen
  • Chestnut-cheeked Starling (Sturnus philippensis) – Found in Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan
 
 
 

Gordon Ramel

Gordon is an ecologist with two degrees from Exeter University. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. Oh - and he wrote this website.

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