Photo: Ron Henzel / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tristram’s Starling
Onychognathus tristramii
Tristram's Starling (Onychognathus tristramii) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Tristram’s Starling (Onychognathus tristramii) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 123 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 Onychognathus
- Species tristramii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 123 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Tristram’s Starling is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of rocky terrain, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Tristram’s Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Tristram’s Starling (Onychognathus tristramii) belongs to the Sturnidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL Arabian Pen.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 123 g, with a wing length of about 14.6 cm and a tail of around 11.4 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 565,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Tristram’s Starling?
The Tristram’s Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 123 g.
Where does the Tristram’s Starling live?
The Tristram’s Starling is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL Arabian Pen, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Tristram’s Starling belong to?
The Tristram’s Starling (Onychognathus tristramii) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Tristram’s Starling eat?
The Tristram’s Starling is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Tristram’s Starling migrate?
The Tristram’s Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Tristram’s 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 Tristram’s Starling make?
1 real field recording of the Tristram’s 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 Tristram’s Starling's range?
The Tristram’s Starling has a mapped global range of about 565,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Sturnidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.