Photo: Nanda ramesh / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-headed Starling
Sturnia erythropygia
White-headed Starling (Sturnia erythropygia) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-headed Starling (Sturnia erythropygia) 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 erythropygia
Quick facts
- Weight
- 39.6 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-headed Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The White-headed Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-headed Starling (Sturnia erythropygia) is a species of bird in the Sturnidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR Andaman and Nicobar Is.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 39.6 g, with a wing length of about 10.9 cm and a tail of around 7.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 5,486 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-headed Starling?
The White-headed Starling is a small bird that weighs around 39.6 g.
Where does the White-headed Starling live?
The White-headed Starling is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR Andaman and Nicobar Is, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the White-headed Starling belong to?
The White-headed Starling (Sturnia erythropygia) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-headed Starling eat?
The White-headed Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the White-headed Starling migrate?
The White-headed Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-headed 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-headed Starling make?
1 real field recording of the White-headed 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-headed Starling's range?
The White-headed Starling has a mapped global range of about 5,486 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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