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| The Speckled Star of Verdant Hill Forests – The Spot-Winged Starling, Male |
| The Spot-Winged Starling is an eye-catching bird both for its beauty and rarity. It has a white coloured eye and an uncommon white patch on each wing. Male is metallic dark blue-grey above with an orange breast and belly. Female is essentially plain grey all over. Found at middle elevations, where flocks frequent open forests and forest edges. Often forages in flowering and fruiting trees. Flocks give a noisy, rolling, high-pitched chatter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … The Spot-Winged Starling is a small, mostly brownish starling with pale eyes. The Male has feathers of crown to mantle and back grey with dark borders, rump red-brown; wing blackish with olive sheen, white patch near base of each primary; tail dark rufous-brown; side of head grey, chin and throat dark red-brown; underparts variably chestnut-brown, often pale on chest, pale feather edges in centre of belly, thighs grey; iris white to pale yellow; bill black, brown base; legs dark brown. The Female has crown, nape and upperparts grey-brown with pale spot-like areas on feathers, wings and tail dark brown, chin, throat and chest pale brown with dark central streaks, flanks, belly and undertail-coverts dull white. Juvenile resembles female but with more streaking below, brown wash on flanks, brown tips on wing-coverts, iris dark brown to grey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … The Spot-Winged Starling breeds in Northern India and Western Nepal; it winters in North- East India, North-Eastern Bangladesh and Myanmar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. Found mostly in open forest, clearings and forest edge in hilly country at 700 to 1000 mtrs, locally to 2000 mtrs. Also in trees in open areas and cultivated areas in lowlands in non-breeding range. Migrates E in Jun to Jul to non-breeding grounds in North- East India. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … The Spot-Winged Starling is known for its elusive nature, usually dwelling in the dense foliage of trees. Forages mainly in canopy. These birds feed on a wide assortment of food sources, such as fruits, berries, nectar taken readily from Bombax, Erythrina and Grevillea trees and insect food noted as red tree ants and winged termites. Additionally, they occasionally indulge in small reptiles and amphibians. Aiding their foraging activities is a characteristic serrated bill ideal for grasping prey or fruit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …. ………….. ……………….. .. …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. … …. ………… ………….. ………… ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. …… …. …. ……….. … …. ……….. .. ………… ….. ………. …………. …….. ……………. … Song a mix of dry, harsh discordant notes and some more musical warbling. Call from flocks a noisy chattering; aggressive “chek-chek-chek” and chirruping “chik-chik” as contact call by perched individuals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …………………….. ………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ………………………………. .. ……… …… … …. ……….. Description Credit – Birds of the World (The Cornell Lab), Oiseaux, Birda, Animalia, Nepal Desk, Ogaclicks, Birds of India | Bird World, Bird Count India & Wiki. |
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