Coleto
Sarcops calvus
A fairly large bird of forest canopy and more open wooded areas from the lowlands to low elevations in the mountains. Often seen on exposed snags. Pale gray from the back of the neck down the back to the rump and the sides. The rest of the underparts and wings are black. Head mostly covered with bare pink skin. Unmistakable. Voice includes a mixture of clicks, squeals, metallic warbling, and piping notes.
Identification
The coleto (Sarcops calvus) is a starling species (family Sturnidae) in the monotypic genus Sarcops. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitats are tropical dry forest, tropical moist lowland forest, and tropical moist montane forest. In Filipino and Tagalog, this bird is known as kuling or koleto, while in Central Visayas, it is commonly known as the sal-ing.
Taxonomy
Genus: Sarcops; Family: Sturnidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Sarcops calvus
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Genus
- Sarcops
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
- Population trend
- unknown
Photos
Distribution
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