White-faced Starling - BirdForum Opus

Photo by firecrest15
Sri Lanka, March, 2010

Alternative names: Ceylon White-headed Myna; Ceylon Starling

Sturnornis albofrontatus

Sturnus albofrontatus; Sturnia albofrontata

Identification

20cm. A smallish Starling with pied plumage.

• Greenish-black upperparts (including nape and up to mid-crown)
• Pale smoky underparts with strong white shaft-streaks
• Striking white face (variable in extent)
• Pale dull greenish bill with pale bluish base
• Bluish skin around white eye

Sexes similar. Juveniles are duller, with brown upperparts and greyer underparts.

Distribution

Endemic to southwest Sri Lanka.
A rare and declining restricted-range species. Habitat destruction and fragmentation are a serious threat to this species.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
It was formerly known as Sturnus senex but due to a misidentification of the type specimen this name is no longer valid.
Sometimes placed in the genus Sturnia or Sturnus.

Habitat

Tall forest, usually high in the canopy. Occurs from 400 to 1220m, mainly below 1000m.

Behaviour

Feeds mainly on fruit, takes also nectar and insects.
Forages in pairs or small groups in the forest canopy.
Breeding season from April to August. The nest is placed in a tree hole. One recorded clutch contained 2 eggs.
Presumably a resident species.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. 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

Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) White-faced Starling. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 14 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-faced_Starling

External Links

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