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Birds

Asian
Pied Starling

Least Concern

Increasing

Asian Pied Starling

Gracupica contra

The Asian Pied Starling is a species of starling found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They are usually found in small groups mainly on the plains and low foothills. They are often seen within cities and villages although they are not as bold as the Common Myna. They produce a range of calls made up of liquid notes. The flight is slow and butterfly-like on round wings.

This starling is strikingly marked in black and white and has a yellowish bill with a reddish bill base. The bare skin around the eye is reddish. The upper body, throat and breast are black while the cheek, lores, wing coverts and rump are contrastingly white.

Pied Myna

Regional Names
  • Bengali:
    গো শালিক, গোবরে শালিক
  • Bhojpuri:
    सिरोई मैना, सिरोई, सिरोली
  • Gujarati:
    કાબરી કાબર
  • Hindi:
    अबलक मैना, सिरोली मैना
  • Marathi:
    रंगीत मैना, कवडी मैना
  • Punjabi:
    ਡੱਬੀ ਮੈਨਾ
  • Sanskrit:
    भरत शबल सारिका
  • Tamil:
    கறுப்பு வெள்ளை மைனா
Media Gallery
Taxanomy

PASSERIFORMES
STURNIDAE
Gracupica contra

Quick Facts
  • They can mimic human voices.
  • The Sema Naga people will not eat this bird as they believe it is the reincarnation of a human.
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