SPECIES OF THE MONTH: JULY 2011

WHITE-SHOULDERED STARLING 

Phylum : Chordata

Class     : Aves

Order    : Passeriformes 

Family  : Sturnidae

Genus   : Sturnus

Species : Sturnus sinensis

Nepal Rare Birds Committee officials have confirmed a claim by two ornithologists that they spotted a bird belonging to a species previously unreported at Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Sunsari district in eastern Nepal.The White- shouldered starling, Sturnus sinensis, was sighted amongst a flock of Chestnut-tailed Starlings at the north-eastern part of the wildlife reserve.

Nepal Rare Birds Committee (NRBC) confirmed that the species is new to Nepal and also updated the total bird species count to 868.

According to NRBC, the new bird was first spotted on September 26, 2010 by Nepalese Ornithological Union experts Badri Chaudhary and Anish Timsina, along with other enthusiasts in the area.

The size of this newly found starling is similar to Chestnut- tailed Starling, the smallest member of its family in Nepal, said NRBC. It measures 17-20 cm in length and weighs about 61 grams. The bird's beak and legs are black in color. The lower part of its body is white and the upper throat is grey.

Sturnus sinensis has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). 

The population size has not been quantified, but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

Link: http://www.birdlife.org