Photo: (c) desertnaturalist, some rights reserved (CC BY) / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rarotonga Starling
Aplonis cinerascens
Rarotonga Starling (Aplonis cinerascens) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Oceans & Seabirds.
The Rarotonga Starling (Aplonis cinerascens) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 82.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Sturnidae Starlings, Rhabdornises
- Genus Aplonis
- Species cinerascens
Quick facts
- Weight
- 82.9 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rarotonga Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Rarotonga Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rarotonga Starling (Aplonis cinerascens) belongs to the Sturnidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers PO Rarotonga (sc Cook Is., e Polynesia).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 82.9 g, with a wing length of about 12 cm and a tail of around 7.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 31 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rarotonga Starling?
The Rarotonga Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 82.9 g.
Where does the Rarotonga Starling live?
The Rarotonga Starling is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering PO Rarotonga (sc Cook Is., e Polynesia), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rarotonga Starling belong to?
The Rarotonga Starling (Aplonis cinerascens) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rarotonga Starling eat?
The Rarotonga Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Rarotonga Starling migrate?
The Rarotonga Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rarotonga Starling endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
How large is the Rarotonga Starling's range?
The Rarotonga Starling has a mapped global range of about 31 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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