Chestnut-tailed Starling

Chestnut-tailed Starling

                Introduction of Chestnut-tailed Starling

            The Chestnut-tailed Starling  (Scientific Name: Sturnus malabaricus) is a member of the starling family of birds.This is a passerine bird which is typically found in open woodland and cultivation. It is also known as Grey-headed Myna.

                     How to Identify Chestnut-tailed Starling

            Chestnut-tailed Starling is a medium-sized bird. It is around 20 cm. long and weight varies from  32-44 gm. Eyes are  with white irises. Head and neck are pale grey, usually with whitish shafts.  Upperparts of these bird are grey in color; underparts are rufous chestnut and has hackles on breast;  Bill is yellow and there is a  distinctive  blue color at base. Color of tail is chestnut  with  grey colored central feathers. Males and females look alike, but juveniles have whitish underparts and just chestnut tips to the tail feathers.

                       Habitats and Habitats

           Chestnut-tailed Starling bird mainly found in parties and small flocks on the upper canopy and leaf of the trees to feed on insects. It  is very gregarious bird.  They are mainly arboreal, though may  descend to ground in search of food. They are found at  open forest; secondary growth; plantations; groves; cultivation; urban gardens even  near human habitation.
               Food
           Chestnut-tailed Starling is an  omnivorous bird. Nectar; berries; fruit, esp. figs and insects are its main food.
               Distribution
           It is distributed from Uttarakhand to Myanmar. There are three subspecies of the Chestnut-tailed Starling as belows.
     Sturnus malabarica malabaricus are distributed in North-eastern India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and north-western Burma.
     Sturnus malabarica nemoricola are found in Southern China (incl. Taiwan), Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia.
     Sturnus malabarica blythii are found at  Western Ghats in India.
               Call
            Its call is  a series of short hard notes and low squeaky churrs.

                         Nesting and Breeding

              The Chestnut-tailed Starling's nest is typically found in open woodland and cultivation. The Chestnut-tailed Starling builds a nest in hole. Some times they use old Barbet or Woodpecker's hole in tree trunks as their nest. Nest is made up with  twigs, rootlets or grass. The normal clutch is 3-5 eggs. Breeding season of this bird started from the early February and ended to last July. The peak nesting period is  March. Both parents  participate in nest building, egg incubation, brooding and feeding of nestlings.  The mean incubation period is more or less 17  days. Young bird can  fledge within 19 to 21 days.