Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rusty-winged Starling
Aplonis zelandica
Rusty-winged Starling (Aplonis zelandica) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
The Rusty-winged Starling (Aplonis zelandica) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 68.7 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 Aplonis
- Species zelandica
Where it lives
Santa Cruz Is. (=Temotu, southeastern Solomon Is.) and northern, central Vanuatu
Quick facts
- Weight
- 68.7 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rusty-winged Starling is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Rusty-winged Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rusty-winged Starling (Aplonis zelandica) is a member of the Sturnidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Santa Cruz Is. (=Temotu, se Solomon Is.) and n, c Vanuatu.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 68.7 g, with a wing length of about 10.3 cm and a tail of around 6.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 9,060 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rusty-winged Starling?
The Rusty-winged Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 68.7 g.
Where does the Rusty-winged Starling live?
The Rusty-winged Starling is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Santa Cruz Is. (=Temotu, se Solomon Is.) and n, c Vanuatu, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rusty-winged Starling belong to?
The Rusty-winged Starling (Aplonis zelandica) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rusty-winged Starling eat?
The Rusty-winged Starling is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Rusty-winged Starling migrate?
The Rusty-winged Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rusty-winged 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.
How large is the Rusty-winged Starling's range?
The Rusty-winged Starling has a mapped global range of about 9,060 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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