Photo: Olaf Oliviero Riemer / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-shouldered Starling
Sturnia sinensis
White-shouldered Starling (Sturnia sinensis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-shouldered Starling (Sturnia sinensis) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 61 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 sinensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 61 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-shouldered Starling is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The White-shouldered Starling is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The White-shouldered Starling (Sturnia sinensis) belongs to the Sturnidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR s China to Cambodia and Vietnam.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 61 g, with a wing length of about 10.2 cm and a tail of around 5.8 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 741,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-shouldered Starling?
The White-shouldered Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 61 g.
Where does the White-shouldered Starling live?
The White-shouldered Starling is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR s China to Cambodia and Vietnam, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the White-shouldered Starling belong to?
The White-shouldered Starling (Sturnia sinensis) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the White-shouldered Starling eat?
The White-shouldered Starling is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the White-shouldered Starling migrate?
The White-shouldered Starling is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the White-shouldered 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-shouldered Starling make?
1 real field recording of the White-shouldered 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-shouldered Starling's range?
The White-shouldered Starling has a mapped global range of about 741,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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