Black-collared Starling
Gracupica nigricollis
Large and unmistakable black-and-white starling with a yellow skin around eyes and long, slim bill. Regularly forages on lawns in parks and gardens as well as in agricultural fields. Adult has white head and belly and blackish collar, wings, and tail. Juvenile has dirty-brown head without the adult's collar and less white on the wings. Sexes alike. Well known for its vibrant, undulating song, which it often gives from an exposed perch such as a utility pole or street lamp.
Identification
The black-collared starling is 26–30 cm (10–12 in) long. The head is white, with a yellow patch of bare skin around the eye, and a black collar around the neck. The mantle, back and wings are dark brown, appearing almost black. The underparts are white, often with a grey-brown tinge. The tail and most of the covert and flight feathers are tipped white, with the primary coverts completely white. The beak is black, and the legs are pale grey. The male and female are alike. The juvenile bird is browner and has a streaked neck and breast; it also has an eye-patch but not a collar.
Taxonomy
This species was described as Gracula nigricollis by Gustaf von Paykull in 1807. Formerly placed in the genus Sturnus, it and the Siamese pied myna (Gracupica floweri) were separated to the genus Gracupica when Sturnus was split, following phylogenetic studies in 2008. In the past it had also been placed in Sturnopastor, Acridotheres and Graculipica.
- Scientific name
- Gracupica nigricollis
- Authority
- (Paykull, 1807)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Genus
- Gracupica
Range and habitat
This species is found in southern China from Fujian to Yunnan, and south to Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. An individual recorded in Brunei may be an escaped captive or a vagrant. It has been introduced to Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. This starling lives in grassland, dry forest, cultivated areas and human settlements, mostly occurring at low elevations, but also up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
This starling forages on the ground, sometimes around livestock. It feeds on insects, earthworms and seeds. A very vocal bird, its calls include shrill, harsh, melodious and discordant notes, such as a jay-like kraak kraak, a whistling prrü resembling a bee-eater, and a pü-pü-pü-pü similar to a "hesitant" rufous-capped babbler. Its song is transcribed as tcheeuw-tchew-trieuw. Two courtship displays have been recorded. One consists of a pair facing each other, their feathers ruffled and beaks open. In the other, the pair droop their wings and bow their heads. Between displays, the pair run or fly after each other. Pairs also preen each other, a behaviour known as allopreening. The breeding season has been recorded as February to May in Thailand, March to July in China, and April to August in Burma. The large, domed nest is constructed from twigs, grasses, feathers and flowers. It is built on a tree, and may be re-used. Nesting colonies have been observed. Three to five eggs are laid per clutch.
Conservation
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Yellow-bellied Chat-Tyrant
Silvicultrix diadema
Small flycatcher found in subtropical and temperate zones of the Andes from Venezuela to Peru. Like most chat-tyrants, has a very bold eyebrow. Yellow-bellied is the only chat-tyrant that looks mostly yellow and is especially bright on the belly and throat. Note rufous wingbars. Singles or pairs are typically found in the understory of cloud forest and edges, especially near bamboo, but can be inconspicuous.
Humboldt Penguin
Spheniscus humboldti
Uncommon and local; breeds in colonies along the coast of Peru and Chile, where it nests in underground burrows. The only penguin in most of its range, but some overlap in central Chile with similar Magellanic Penguin of colder southern waters. Adult Humboldt is distinguished by a big pink patch at the base of the bill and a single black breast band. Immature Humboldt is very similar to Magellanic Penguin and is not always safely identified in the field, but immature usually shows big pink bill base recalling adult.
Bell's Sparrow
Artemisiospiza belli
Brownish sparrow with gray head and white breast with dark central spot. Very similar to Sagebrush Sparrow and once considered the same species. Bell's Sparrow is usually darker and more contrasty overall. Also note Bell's Sparrow's relatively dark and broad mustache stripe and plainer back with only indistinct, thin streaks. Found in shrubby expanses of sagebrush, primarily in California and Baja (more restricted than Sagebrush, essentially only overlapping in winter). Perches up conspicuously when singing; otherwise stays low and hidden. Frequently runs on the ground, often with tail cocked up. Song is a jumble of mechanical, musical notes, faster than Sagebrush Sparrow.
Start Your Bird Watching Journey
Identify a bird outdoors and keep the field guide close for your next observation.