The chestnut-tailed starling (Sturnia malabarica), also called grey-headed starling and grey-headed myna is a member of the starling family. It is a resident or partially migratory species found in wooded habitats in India and Southeast Asia. The species name is after the distribution of a former subspecies in the Malabar region. While the chestnut-tailed starling is a winter visitor to peninsular India, the closely related resident breeding population with a white head is now treated as a full species, the Malabar starling (Sturnia blythii).
The chestnut-tailed starling was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with the thrushes in the genusTurdus and coined the binomial nameTurdus malabaricus.[2] Gmelin based his account on the "Le Martin Vieillard de la côte de Malabar" that had been described in 1782 by the French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat in his book Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine.[3]
The chestnut-tailed starling was formerly placed in the genus Sturnus. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2008 found that the genus was polyphyletic.[4] In the reoganization to create monotypic genera, the chestnut-tailed starling was one of five starlings moved to the resurrected genus Sturnia that had been introduced in 1837 by René Lesson.[5]
S. m. malabarica (Gmelin, JF, 1789) – India (except southwest, northeast), south Nepal and Bangladesh
S. m. nemoricolaJerdon, 1862 – south Assam (northeast India) and Myanmar to north, central Indochina
Both the nominate subspecies and nemoricola are known to perform some poorly understood movements (e.g., S. m. malabarica has been recorded from Pakistan and in central and southern India).
The taxonblythii is now usually (e.g. Rasmussen & Anderton, 2005) considered a valid species, the Malabar starling or white-headed myna (Sturnia blythii), instead of a subspecies of Sturnia malabarica. As S. m. malabarica only visits the range of blythii during the non-breeding period (winter), the two are not known to interbreed. However, a molecular study found the genetic divergence between S. blythii not significantly greater (between 0.2% and 0.8%) than between the sisters S. m. malabarica of northern India and S. m. nemoricola of Burma and Vietnam.[4]
DescriptionEdit
The adults have a total length of approximately 20 cm (7.9 in). They have grey upperparts and blackish remiges, but the colour of the remaining plumage depends on the subspecies. In the nominate subspecies and blythii, the underparts (incl. undertail) are rufous, but in nemoricola the underparts are whitish tinged rufous, especially on the flanks and crissum (the undertail coverts surrounding the cloaca). The nominate and nemoricola have a light grey head with whitish streaking (especially on crown and collar region). Both subspecies have white irises and a yellow bill with a pale blue base. The sexes are similar, but juveniles have whitish underparts and just chestnut tips to the tail feathers.
BehaviourEdit
The chestnut-tailed starling's nest is typically found in open woodland and cultivation, and it builds a nest in an old barbet or woodpecker hole in a tree-trunk, 3–12 m (9.8–39.4 ft) up. The normal clutch is 3-5 eggs, pale blue, unmarked. The nesting season is usually March to June.[6]
Like most starlings, it is fairly omnivorous, eating fruit, nectar and insects. They fly in tight flocks and often rapidly change directions with great synchrony.
^Gmelin, Johann Friedrich (1789). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae : secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1, Part 2 (13th ed.). Lipsiae [Leipzig]: Georg. Emanuel. Beer. p. 816.
^Sonnerat, Pierre (1782). Voyage aux Indes orientales et à la Chine, fait par ordre du Roi, depuis 1774 jusqu'en 1782 (in French). Vol. 2. Paris: Chez l'Auteur. p. 195.
^ abZuccon, D.; Pasquet, E.; Ericson, P.G.P. (2008). "Phylogenetic relationships among Palearctic–Oriental starlings and mynas (genera Sturnus and Acridotheres: Sturnidae)". Zoologica Scripta. 37 (5): 469–481. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2008.00339.x.
^ abGill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2023). "Nuthatches, Wallcreeper, treecreepers, mockingbirds, starlings, oxpeckers". IOC World Bird List Version 13.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
^Ali, S. (2012). The Book of Indian Birds. Revised by J.C. Daniel (13th ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 218. ISBN978-0195665239.
Further readingEdit
Grimmett, Richard; Inskipp, Carol, Inskipp, Tim & Byers, Clive (1999): Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.. ISBN0-691-04910-6
Rasmussen, Pamela C. & Anderton John C. (2005): Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. ISBN84-87334-67-9
Zuccon D, Cibois A, Pasquet E, Ericson PG. (2006) Nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data reveal the major lineages of starlings, mynas and related taxa. Mol Phylogenet Evol. 41(2):333-44.
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October 21, 2023
chestnut, tailed, starling, chestnut, tailed, starling, sturnia, malabarica, also, called, grey, headed, starling, grey, headed, myna, member, starling, family, resident, partially, migratory, species, found, wooded, habitats, india, southeast, asia, species, . The chestnut tailed starling Sturnia malabarica also called grey headed starling and grey headed myna is a member of the starling family It is a resident or partially migratory species found in wooded habitats in India and Southeast Asia The species name is after the distribution of a former subspecies in the Malabar region While the chestnut tailed starling is a winter visitor to peninsular India the closely related resident breeding population with a white head is now treated as a full species the Malabar starling Sturnia blythii Chestnut tailed starlingChestnut tailed starling in Satchari National ParkConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClade DinosauriaClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily SturnidaeGenus SturniaSpecies S malabaricaBinomial nameSturnia malabarica Gmelin 1789 approximate rangeSynonymsTemenuchus malabaricus Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Behaviour 4 References 5 Further readingTaxonomy EditThe chestnut tailed starling was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus s Systema Naturae He placed it with the thrushes in the genus Turdus and coined the binomial name Turdus malabaricus 2 Gmelin based his account on the Le Martin Vieillard de la cote de Malabar that had been described in 1782 by the French naturalist Pierre Sonnerat in his book Voyage aux Indes orientales et a la Chine 3 The chestnut tailed starling was formerly placed in the genus Sturnus A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2008 found that the genus was polyphyletic 4 In the reoganization to create monotypic genera the chestnut tailed starling was one of five starlings moved to the resurrected genus Sturnia that had been introduced in 1837 by Rene Lesson 5 Two subspecies are recognised 5 S m malabarica Gmelin JF 1789 India except southwest northeast south Nepal and Bangladesh S m nemoricola Jerdon 1862 south Assam northeast India and Myanmar to north central IndochinaBoth the nominate subspecies and nemoricola are known to perform some poorly understood movements e g S m malabarica has been recorded from Pakistan and in central and southern India The taxon blythii is now usually e g Rasmussen amp Anderton 2005 considered a valid species the Malabar starling or white headed myna Sturnia blythii instead of a subspecies of Sturnia malabarica As S m malabarica only visits the range of blythii during the non breeding period winter the two are not known to interbreed However a molecular study found the genetic divergence between S blythii not significantly greater between 0 2 and 0 8 than between the sisters S m malabarica of northern India and S m nemoricola of Burma and Vietnam 4 Description EditThe adults have a total length of approximately 20 cm 7 9 in They have grey upperparts and blackish remiges but the colour of the remaining plumage depends on the subspecies In the nominate subspecies and blythii the underparts incl undertail are rufous but in nemoricola the underparts are whitish tinged rufous especially on the flanks and crissum the undertail coverts surrounding the cloaca The nominate and nemoricola have a light grey head with whitish streaking especially on crown and collar region Both subspecies have white irises and a yellow bill with a pale blue base The sexes are similar but juveniles have whitish underparts and just chestnut tips to the tail feathers Behaviour EditThe chestnut tailed starling s nest is typically found in open woodland and cultivation and it builds a nest in an old barbet or woodpecker hole in a tree trunk 3 12 m 9 8 39 4 ft up The normal clutch is 3 5 eggs pale blue unmarked The nesting season is usually March to June 6 Like most starlings it is fairly omnivorous eating fruit nectar and insects They fly in tight flocks and often rapidly change directions with great synchrony References Edit BirdLife International 2016 Sturnia malabarica IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22710858A94263973 Retrieved 23 May 2021 Gmelin Johann Friedrich 1789 Systema naturae per regna tria naturae secundum classes ordines genera species cum characteribus differentiis synonymis locis in Latin Vol 1 Part 2 13th ed Lipsiae Leipzig Georg Emanuel Beer p 816 Sonnerat Pierre 1782 Voyage aux Indes orientales et a la Chine fait par ordre du Roi depuis 1774 jusqu en 1782 in French Vol 2 Paris Chez l Auteur p 195 a b Zuccon D Pasquet E Ericson P G P 2008 Phylogenetic relationships among Palearctic Oriental starlings and mynas genera Sturnus and Acridotheres Sturnidae Zoologica Scripta 37 5 469 481 doi 10 1111 j 1463 6409 2008 00339 x a b Gill Frank Donsker David Rasmussen Pamela eds July 2023 Nuthatches Wallcreeper treecreepers mockingbirds starlings oxpeckers IOC World Bird List Version 13 2 International Ornithologists Union Retrieved 14 August 2023 Ali S 2012 The Book of Indian Birds Revised by J C Daniel 13th ed Oxford University Press p 218 ISBN 978 0195665239 Further reading EditGrimmett Richard Inskipp Carol Inskipp Tim amp Byers Clive 1999 Birds of India Pakistan Nepal Bangladesh Bhutan Sri Lanka and the Maldives Princeton University Press Princeton N J ISBN 0 691 04910 6 Rasmussen Pamela C amp Anderton John C 2005 Birds of South Asia The Ripley Guide Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions ISBN 84 87334 67 9 Zuccon D Cibois A Pasquet E Ericson PG 2006 Nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data reveal the major lineages of starlings mynas and related taxa Mol Phylogenet Evol 41 2 333 44 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sturnia malabarica Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chestnut tailed starling amp oldid 1170303016, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
