Norfolk Starling

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iNorfolk Starling

Extinct (1923)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Sturnidae
Genus:	Aplonis
Species:	A. fusca

Binomial name

Aplonis fusca
(Gould, 1836)

Synonyms

Aplonis fuscus
Aplonis fusca fusca

The Norfolk Starling (Aplonis fusca, formerly Aplonis fuscus) was described in 1836 by John Gould as Tasman Starling which occurred on Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. However, Australian ornithologist Gregory Macalister Mathews recognized in 1928 that the plumage of the race from Lord Howe Island was much browner and more greyish than the plumage of the Norfolk Island race and so he splitted Aplonis fuscus into the nominate race Aplonis fusca fusca (Norfolk Starling) and the subspecies Aplonis fusca hulliana (Lord Howe Starling). The islanders of Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island named them redeyes or after its call „cúdgimarúk“. Both races are now extinct.

It had reached a size of 20 cm. The wing length was 9.8 cm to 10.3 cm, the length of the tail was 6.3 to 6.8 cm, the length of the culmen 1.3 cm and tarsus was 2.5 cm. It was generally greyish brown. The males were glossy metallic green from head to the throat. The back, the rump, the uppertail coverts, the wing coverts, and underparts were grey, but undertail coverts were whitish. The bill was black and the eyes orange red. The females were coloured similar but the greenish gloss were slightly duller and a grey throat contrasted with pale brownish flanks. The under breast was washed ochraceous. The abdomen and the undertail coverts were yellowish white.

The reasons for its extinction are unclear. Competition from introduced European starlings, song thrushs and common blackbirds, overhunting and habitat loss through agricultural clearing might have played an important role. Reports in older literature that it became extinct by rats as its relative from Lord Howe Island are not correct because rats became first a pest on Norfolk Island by 1940. It became extinct in 1923.