Abbott's starling
Abbott's starling (Poeoptera femoralis) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss, and its population is estimated at 2500–9999.[2] This species, at 16 to 18 cm (6.3 to 7.1 in) long, is the smallest species of starling.[3]
Abbott's starling | |
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Male | |
Female | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Sturnidae |
Genus: | Poeoptera |
Species: | P. femoralis |
Binomial name | |
Poeoptera femoralis (Richmond, 1897) | |
Synonyms | |
Pholia femoralis |
The name of the species commemorates William Louis Abbott (1860-1936), American naturalist and collector, who studied the wildlife of the Indo-Malayan region.
Diet
The Abbott's starling feeds on insects and fruit, including the fruit of Cornus volkensii.[4]
Description
The Abbott's starling has a black head and breast with white underparts and a yellow eye. Its voice is a musical whistled call moving up and down the scale.[5]
References
- BirdLife International (2012). "Cinnyricinclus femoralis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
- "Abbott's Starling (Poeoptera femoralis) - BirdLife species factsheet". datazone.birdlife.org. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
- Starlings & Mynas (Helm Identification Guide) by Chris Feare. A&C Black (1998). ISBN 978-0713639612.
- "Abbott's Starling (Poeoptera femoralis)". www.hbw.com. Retrieved 2018-02-21.
- "Poeoptera femoralis (Abbott's Starling)". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2018-02-21.