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Aplonis
''Aplonis'' is a genus of starlings. These are essentially island species of Indonesia and Oceania, although some species' ranges extend to the Malay Peninsula, southern Vietnam and northeastern Queensland. The typical adult ''Aplonis'' starling is fairly uniformly plumaged in black, brown or dark green, sometimes with a metallic gloss. The eye ring is often distinctively coloured. Immatures of several species have dark streaked pale underparts. Several species have restricted ranges, and, like other island endemics, have become endangered or extinct as a result of habitat loss or introduced mammals such as rats. Taxonomy The genus ''Aplonis'' was introduced in 1836 by the English ornithologist John Gould. He listed two species in the new genus but did not specify which was the type species. In 1840 George Gray designated the ''Aplonis fusca'' Gould 1836 as the type. This is the extinct Tasman starling. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''haploos '' meaning "simple" or "plain ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tasman Starling
The Tasman starling (''Aplonis fusca'') was described in 1836 by John Gould as a species which occurred on both Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. In 1928 Australian ornithologist Gregory Macalister Mathews, Gregory Mathews recognized that the plumage of the race from Lord Howe Island was much browner and more greyish than the plumage of the Norfolk Island race and split the species into two forms, the Norfolk starling (''Aplonis fusca fusca''), and the Lord Howe starling (''Aplonis fusca hulliana''). Both subspecies are now extinct, thus so the species. __TOC__ Norfolk starling The Norfolk starling (''Aplonis fusca fusca''), was a small bird in the starling family. It is the extinction, extinct nominate subspecies of the Tasman starling. Distribution The Norfolk starling was confined to Norfolk Island, an Australian territory in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. Description The Norfolk starling was 20 cm long. The wing length was 9.8 cm to 10.3 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norfolk Starling
The Tasman starling (''Aplonis fusca'') was described in 1836 by John Gould as a species which occurred on both Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. In 1928 Australian ornithologist Gregory Mathews recognized that the plumage of the race from Lord Howe Island was much browner and more greyish than the plumage of the Norfolk Island race and split the species into two forms, the Norfolk starling (''Aplonis fusca fusca''), and the Lord Howe starling (''Aplonis fusca hulliana''). Both subspecies are now extinct, thus so the species. __TOC__ Norfolk starling The Norfolk starling (''Aplonis fusca fusca''), was a small bird in the starling family. It is the extinct nominate subspecies of the Tasman starling. Distribution The Norfolk starling was confined to Norfolk Island, an Australian territory in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. Description The Norfolk starling was 20 cm long. The wing length was 9.8 cm to 10.3 cm, the length of the tail was 6.3 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Metallic Starling
The metallic starling (''Aplonis metallica''), also known as the shining starling, is a bird in the starling family native to the Moluccas, New Guinea, Queensland and the Solomon Islands. Description The adult has brilliant red eyes, a long forked tail and green-glossed black plumage. Immatures are pale below with dark streaks. Behaviour They are very social and flocks of them build messy suspended globular nests in tall rain forest trees where they breed, possibly only during the wet season (north-west monsoon, October–March) (observed at Kokopo, East New Britain Province, 2016). They are not fearful of humans and their activity on the ground below, being well separated from them by altitude, but a loud noise will see them fly out in a tight formation, circle, then return to their nests. Their movement is very fast. During the early part of the 20th century, a flock (or flocks) were seen to migrate during AugustBanfield, E.J.Alike in Difference. ''Emu.'' Vol. 17, No. 4, 212-2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polynesian Starling
The Polynesian starling (''Aplonis tabuensis'') is a species of starling of the family Sturnidae. It is found in the Samoan Islands, Fiji, Niue, Tonga, the Santa Cruz Islands and Wallis and Futuna. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and tropical moist forests. Various subspecies exist throughout this wide range, some darker in coloration and some lighter. Its call is a raspy buzz or rattle. Diet is fruit and insects. On islands where the Samoan starling is present, the Polynesian starling is less conspicuous and keeps to the forest, feeding on harder, less edible fruit. Taxonomy The Polynesian starling was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's ''Systema Naturae''. He placed it with the shrikes in the genus '' Lanius'' and coined the binomial name ''Lanius tabuensis''. The specific epithet is from the toponym Tongatapu, one of the main islands of Tonga. G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pohnpei Starling
The Pohnpei starling (''Aplonis pelzelni''), also known as Pohnpei mountain starling or Ponape mountain starling, is an extremely rare or possibly extinct bird from the family of starlings ( Sturnidae). It is (or was) endemic to the island of Pohnpei (Federated States of Micronesia) in the Pacific Ocean. It was called "sie" (''pronounced see-ah'') by the Pohnpei islanders. It was named after the Austrian ornithologist August von Pelzeln (1825–1891). Description The Pohnpei starling reached a size of 19 cm. It was generally dark with sooty brown upperparts. The head was darker and exhibit a black forehead and black lores. The wings, rump, uppertail coverts and tail were paler and showed a stronger brown coloring at the head. The underparts were washed olive brown. The bill and the feet were black. The iris was brown. The juveniles were similar to the adults except the upperparts of their plumage exhibited a paler brown. Its call consists of a bell-like shrill "see-ay". Habi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Micronesian Starling
The Micronesian starling (''Aplonis opaca'') is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Micronesia, from the Northern Mariana Islands to Palau and all the way into eastern Micronesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is the only native frugivore existing on Guam. Micronesian starlings are bold around humans and will follow humans as they approach seabird colonies to take the eggs as the seabirds are scared away. They are known as s''åli'' in Chamorro and g''apl'uw'' in Yapese; other indigenous names may also exist across Micronesia. Micronesian starlings breed year-round. Both parents care for their young, nesting in cavities. They demonstrate significant aggression when defending nests, especially for older nestlings. Diet Micronesian starlings consume fruit, seeds, the occasional insect and the eggs of seabirds. The majority of plants they eat fruit from are native to t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asian Glossy Starling
The Asian glossy starling (''Aplonis panayensis'') is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Bangladesh, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan (introduced), Cambodia and Thailand. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical mangrove forest. There is also a huge number of this species inhabiting towns and cities, where they take refuge in abandoned buildings and trees. They often move in large groups and are considered one of the noisiest species of birds. In the Philippines, it is known as kulansiyang, galansiyang, or kuling-dagat. The following subspecies are recognised by the International Ornithologists' Union, International Ornithological Congress: * ''A. p. affinis'' (Edward Blyth, Blyth, 1876) – northeastern India, Bangladesh, southwestern Myanmar * ''A. p. tytleri'' (Allan Octavian Hume, Hume, 1873) – Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andaman and north Nico ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
