White-shouldered Starling

White-shouldered Starling

Scientific Name: Sturnia sinensis

Malay Name: Perling Bahu Putih

Chinese Name: 灰背椋鸟

Range: Found from Southeast China, Hong Kong to Northern Vietnam, wintering to Taiwan and mainland Southeast Asia.

Taxonomy: Monotypic.

Size: 18.5-20.5 cm

Identification: Male displays mostly grey plumage with black wing and tail contrasting with a large white shoulder patch formed by upperwing-coverts and scapulars. Also has whiter rump and uppertail-coverts, mostly bluish-grey bill and white iris. White shoulder patch smaller for female and lacking in juvenile.

Similar looking species: Asian Glossy Starling, Daurian Starling, Chestnut-cheeked Starling

Habitat: Coastal habitat and open areas with scattered trees.

Behaviour/Ecology: Gregarious. Attracted to small-fruited, mass-cropping banyan figs, and also observed foraging in the crowns of casuarinas.

Local Status: Uncommon migrant

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)

Location: Changi Reclaimed Land, Lorong Halus, Punggol Barat, Kent Ridge and Tuas South.

Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):

White-shouldered Starling Sturnia sinensis
Estimated average number of individuals by week based on eBird data, Jul 2014 to Jun 2024
Peak week Jan 15-Jan 21
Early date 11 Sep 1989
Late date 30 Mar 2022
Small numbers are sometimes seen associating with the more common Daurian Starlings through the migratory period.

References:

BirdLife International. (2016). Sturnia sinensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22710877A94265438.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

Wells, D. R. (1999). The Birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsula (Vol. 1). Academic Press, London.

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