Chestnut-cheeked Starling

Scientific Name: Agropsar philippensis
Malay Name: Perling Pipi Coklat
Chinese Name: 紫背椋鸟
Alternative Name(s): Red-cheeked Starling, Violet-backed Starling

Range:
Found from Sakhalin to Northern Japan, wintering to Southern Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Borneo, Peninsula Malaysia and Singapore.

Taxonomy:
Monotypic.

Size: 16.5-17 cm

Identification:
Male resembles Daurian Starling but has diagnostic chestnut patch on ear-coverts and neck-side. Female without chestnut patch and difficult to separate from female Daurian Starling but when in flight, lacks whitish tips to scapulars, greater coverts and tertials.

Similar looking species: Daurian Starling, White-shouldered Starling

Habitat: Wooded areas and open habitats.

Behaviour/Ecology: Feed on insects and fruits.

Local Status: Very rare vagrant.

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2018)

Past accepted records in our database:

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

Chestnut-cheeked Starling at Bidadari. Photo credit: Mohamad Zahidi

Chestnut-cheeked Starling. Photo Credit: Mohamad Zahidi

Male Chestnut-cheeked Starling in flight at Henderson Waves Bridge. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai

Chestnut-cheeked Starling. Photo Credit: Mohamad Zahidi

Male Chestnut-cheeked Starling in flight at Henderson Waves Bridge. Photo credit: See Toh Yew Wai