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European Starling x Common Mynah? Blacktown , Australia (1 Viewer)

Joern Lehmhus

Well-known member
This does look plausible as one option for this bird, I can see the spots of the Common Starling plumage so I'd be sure that is one parent, not quite so convinced of the Common Myna though, that fiery belly colour seems strange and wonder if some other exotic starling could be involved?
 
Yeah gods !!

I'm not an expert either, but could this be the introduced Blackbird with some sort of reflected sunlight off water for the coloured patch ???



Chosun :gh:
 
This does look plausible as one option for this bird, I can see the spots of the Common Starling plumage so I'd be sure that is one parent, not quite so convinced of the Common Myna though, that fiery belly colour seems strange and wonder if some other exotic starling could be involved?

Looks to be reflected sunlight to me, I think that Common Starling x Common Myna is plausible here FWI



A
 
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Not an expert, but the bright patch is in different places on the photos, so could be sunlight reflected from the puddle.
Overall feel seems more starling, but the beak looks a bit more common mynah. Agree re the legs though.
 
The only other Sturnid in Australia is metallic starling, which I think it is clear to say has no influence here. There isn't any native land bird combination that could really produce this.
 
Looking at the undertail pattern and the bill that looks good for the myna and i think the reflected sunlight explanation makes sense, so hybrid Starling x Common Myna, an interesting bird.
 
Hi all,
This is not as unusual as one might think. No white on vent but still suspect IMO, javan×crested mynah, rather than common mynah. The lack of a crest is the problem but crestless hybrids do occur.
 
Thanks all for your contributions!

There is agreeement that this is a sturnid. If there is only metallic starling as native sturnid; and as we know both European starling and Common mynah occur ant the location of the photograph, this leaves not much doubt. Certainly another mynah species might produce a similar hybrid with European starling,
but the flesh colored legs, the rather straighter and longer bill than in common mynah and the pointed flank feathers make the parentage of european starling very likely. I´d hapily go with the initial thought of Sturnus vulgarisx Acridotheres tristis
 
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Thanks all for your contributions!

There is agreeement that this is a sturnid. If there is only metallic starling as native sturnid; and as we know both European starling and Common mynah occur ant the location of the photograph, this leaves not much doubt. Certainly another mynah species might produce a similar hybrid with European starling,
but the flesh colored legs, the rather straighter and longer bill than in common mynah and the pointed flank feathers make the parentage of european starling very likely. I´d hapily go with the initial thought of Sturnus vulgarisx Acridotheres tristis
Yikes ! Arrgh !! Egad !!! and Gadzooks !!!! ...... so now the invasive pests are hybridizing !!!!! :eek!: :eek!:

I'd propose a common name of 'super sky rat' or 'sky rat squared' ....



Chosun :gh:
 
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Well, both species haven´t asked for being brought to Australia; without human interference that scenario would have been extremely unlikely.

Also there is a high chance that this bird is sterile and can´t reproduce as the probable parent species are not too closely related.

Mallard x Pacific black duck crosses should worry you much more as those are fully fertile.
And seing the situation in New Zealand, this may well lead to the extinction of Pacific Black duck through extensive hybridisation....
 
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