Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-cheeked Starling
Spodiopsar cineraceus
White-cheeked Starling (Spodiopsar cineraceus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-cheeked Starling (Spodiopsar cineraceus) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 83 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 Spodiopsar
- Species cineraceus
Where it lives
Southeastern Russia and Japan to central China and Korean Pen.
Quick facts
- Weight
- 83 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-cheeked Starling is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The White-cheeked Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-cheeked Starling (Spodiopsar cineraceus) is a member of the Sturnidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL se Russia and Japan to c China and Korean Pen.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 83 g, with a wing length of about 12.8 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 5.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-cheeked Starling?
The White-cheeked Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 83 g.
Where does the White-cheeked Starling live?
The White-cheeked Starling is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL se Russia and Japan to c China and Korean Pen, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the White-cheeked Starling belong to?
The White-cheeked Starling (Spodiopsar cineraceus) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-cheeked Starling eat?
The White-cheeked Starling is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-cheeked Starling migrate?
The White-cheeked Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-cheeked 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 White-cheeked Starling make?
1 real field recording of the White-cheeked 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 White-cheeked Starling's range?
The White-cheeked Starling has a mapped global range of about 5.3 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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