Tanimbar Starling
Aplonis crassa
A uniformly blackish starling with a medium-length square tail and a dark eye. Juveniles browner, with streaking below and a rufous-tinged tail. Occurs in the canopy of forest edges, wooded areas, and mangroves, where it is usually encountered in pairs or small groups. Confined to the Tanimbar Islands. Noticeably shorter-tailed than Metallic Starling, with less colorful plumage gloss and a dark eye. Calls include a harsh, metallic “brrrrrit” and a disyllabic “tzewit.”
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Aplonis crassa
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1883)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Genus
- Aplonis
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
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