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Leucistic Starling or Rosy Starling? (1 Viewer)

Muddy Turnstone

Muddy Turnstone

Young birder
Hello!

I spotted this bird today in a flock of Starlings, seems very suspicious. It's much brighter than a young Starling on it's back, but darker on the wings. Also, it's even brighter on the belly. I didn't see the beak, as it was far away and it was looking away from me.

I think it stands between adult leucistic Starling or juvenile Rosy Starling, but Rosy is rare here, so it's probably a leucistic, but I want to hear your opinions. Maybe it's not even ID-able?

Thanks in advance! :t:

/Rasmus
 

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Okay, it's the same bird on both photos, and it is some kind of Starling...

(But I gotta agree with you, Derek, the colours really looks like a Desert Wheatear... )
 
I was thinking the first picture looks like a hoopoe. But if it's the same bird in both, I think it's just an aberrant starling.
 
You don't say where you took the photo. It may or may not help. I think it's in the Iberian/Grey Shrike camp. Second photo is shot of open wing....I think.

Twite.
 
Can see where Twite is coming from, if someone showed me it and told me it was Steppe (Saxual whatever) Grey Shrike, I would take their word for it on what can be seen here. can't think of a better suggestion other than an escaped eastern starling of some kind

I liked the Crab Sandwich suggestion better though...

Jan
 
If the first is a Starling, then it's a Common Starling.

I've never seen a Rosy one with partial moult this early in season (i'm not sure but i belive they moult later in season). Pale Common Starling is not that rare (as i'm sure you're aware of) and the blackish feathers looks like the moult of CS "normal" coloured cousins.
 
Yet you can see the wing opened out even in second photo regardless of whether bad photo or not ....... I cannot see a pale ordinary Starling with that wing. I love Starlings and often have juveniles here.
 
Manne said:
If the first is a Starling, then it's a Common Starling.

I've never seen a Rosy one with partial moult this early in season (i'm not sure but i belive they moult later in season). Pale Common Starling is not that rare (as i'm sure you're aware of) and the blackish feathers looks like the moult of CS "normal" coloured cousins.
Click to expand...
Thanks for a good answer! Pale Common Starling it is!

dantheman said:
The second picture is a crab sandwich.
Click to expand...
:t:
 
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