Photo: Touhid biplob / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chestnut-tailed Starling
Sturnia malabarica
Chestnut-tailed Starling (Sturnia malabarica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Chestnut-tailed Starling (Sturnia malabarica) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 39.6 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Sturnidae Starlings, Rhabdornises
- Genus Sturnia
- Species malabarica
Quick facts
- Weight
- 39.6 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chestnut-tailed Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Chestnut-tailed Starling is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Chestnut-tailed Starling (Sturnia malabarica) is a species of bird in the Sturnidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 39.6 g, with a wing length of about 10.1 cm and a tail of around 5.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chestnut-tailed Starling?
The Chestnut-tailed Starling is a small bird that weighs around 39.6 g.
Where does the Chestnut-tailed Starling live?
The Chestnut-tailed Starling is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Chestnut-tailed Starling belong to?
The Chestnut-tailed Starling (Sturnia malabarica) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chestnut-tailed Starling eat?
The Chestnut-tailed Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Chestnut-tailed Starling migrate?
The Chestnut-tailed Starling is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Chestnut-tailed Starling endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Chestnut-tailed Starling make?
1 real field recording of the Chestnut-tailed Starling — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Chestnut-tailed Starling's range?
The Chestnut-tailed Starling has a mapped global range of about 3.4 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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