| Metallic Starling | |
|---|---|
| At Phoenix Zoo, Arizona, USA | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Sturnidae |
| Genus: | Aplonis |
| Species: | A. metallica |
| Binomial name | |
| Aplonis metallica (Temminck, 1824) |
|
The Metallic Starling (Aplonis metallica) also known as Shining Starling, is a bird in the starling family. It is native of New Guinea and nearby Australasian islands, and a limited area of northeastern Australia.
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The adult has brilliant red eyes, a long tail and green-glossed black plumage. Immatures are pale below with dark streaks.
They migrate during August[1] to the northern regions of Queensland, where they mate, preparing messy globular nests for their young which hang from tall trees.[2] There they remain until April,[1] whereupon they make their return journey to New Guinea.