Alternative names: Black-collared Myna; Black-necked Starling
- Gracupica nigricollis
Sturnus nigricollis
Identification
28 cm. A large starling with a mostly pied plumage
- White head
- Bare yellow skin around eyes
- Black bill
- Black collar
- Dark sepia-brown mantle and back
- Wings darker sepia-brown with white tips and white primary coverts.
- White underparts and rump
- Yellow legs
Sexes similar. Juvenile lacks black collar and has a more brownish-grey plumage.
Distribution
Found in southeast Asia from Burma to south and southeast China, including Hong Kong and south to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Introduced in Taiwan.
Common in most parts of its range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Some authorities place this species in the genus Sturnus.
Habitat
Mainly in open areas like grassland, rice stubble, cultivated fields, urban parks and settlements. Also in dry forests. Occurs in the lowlands, but recorded up to 2000m.
Behaviour
Usually seen in pairs or small groups.
Diet
The diet includes earthworms, grasshoppers and crickets. Takes also seeds.
Breeding
They breed from March to July in China, from February to August in Burma. Multi-brooded and presumably monogamous. Breeds often in colonies. The nest is a large, untidy structure made of twigs, grasses and rice straw. It's placed in a tree. The clutch consists of 3 - 5 eggs. Brood [[Dictionary_P-S#P|parasitized] by Asian Koel [[1]], which can lay up to four eggs in a single nest.
Movements
Presumably a resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2014. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.9., with updates to August 2014. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gov.HK
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Black-collared Starling. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 December 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Black-collared_Starling
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
![[1]](https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Image:Asian_Koel_with_Black-collared_Starling_parent_%40_DB.jpg){kind=link}