Metallic starling
| Metallic starling | |
|---|---|
 | |
| At Cairns, Australia | |
| 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.
Description
Immature at San Diego Zoo
Male at San Diego Zoo, California, USA
The adult has brilliant red eyes, a long tail and green-glossed black plumage. Immatures are pale below with dark streaks.
Behaviour
They migrate during August[2] to the northern regions of Queensland, where they mate, preparing messy globular nests for their young which hang from tall trees.[3] There they remain until April,[2] whereupon they make their return journey to New Guinea.
Gallery
-
-
Juveniles, Cairns Esplanade, N Qld
-
Female with nest - Cairns
-
-
Feeding on Ptychosperma elegans fruit in Cairns
References
- ↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Aplonis metallica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Banfield, E.J. "Alike in Difference." Emu. Vol. 17, No. 4, 212-214. 1917. Accessed 2009-05-25.
- ↑ "Plants and Animals in the Wet tropics." Wet Tropics Management Authority. Accessed 2009-05-25.