Alternative names: Pied Starling; Indian Pied Myna
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Gurgaon, Haryana, India, May-2017
- Gracupica contra
Sturnus contra
Identification
22cm (8½ in). A medium-sized Starling.
- Black and white plumage
- Creamish yellow bill
- Orange skin around eye
- White ear coverts and underparts
- Black throat and upper breast
- White scapular line and inner wing coverts in largely black wings
- Yellowish-brown legs
Sexes similar. Juveniles are browner than adults, their cheek patch is dirty white.
Distribution
From extreme eastern Pakistan to north and central India, southern Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar.
Introduced around Bombay, in Japan and in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Common in most of its range.
Taxonomy
Some authorities place this species in genus Sturnus. This species formerly included Siamese Pied Starling and Javan Pied Starling; the combined species was known as Asian Pied Starling.
Subspecies
Clements recognizes three subspecies[1].
- G. c. contra:
- G. c. sordida:
- Northern Assam
- G. c. superciliaris:
- Manipur and Myanmar south to Tenasserim
Habitat
Communal roosting shared with Bank Myna
Basai Wetlands, Gurgaon, Haryana India, Jan. 2015
Cultivated areas such as ricefields, open lowlands, especially well-watered cultivated areas, reservoirs and parks and gardens. Mainly in the lowlands.
Behaviour
Forages on the ground, usually in pairs or small groups. In non-breeding season also in bigger flocks of up to 30 birds.
Diet
Omnivorous. Feeds on animal food, fruit, nectar, flowers and seeds.
Breeding
Breeds from February to October in India. A monogamous species, sometimes breeding in loose colonies. The nest is a large domed structure made of twigs, grass stems, rootlets, palm leaves and artifical material (like plastic bags). It's placed 5 to 15m above the ground in a tall tree, an electricity pole or a lamppost. Lays 4 - 6 eggs, 3 in Java.
Movements
A resident species with some local movements in extreme northwest of range.
Vocalisation
Call given by a small number of individuals feeding on Salvadora persica blossom and fruits, early morning.
Recording by Alok Tewari
Bharatpur Keoladeo National Park, India, Dec.-2014
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2023. IOC World Bird List (v 13.1)_red. Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.13.1. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
- 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
- Bindforum Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Indian Pied Starling. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Indian_Pied_Starling
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
