Micronesian starling

Micronesian starling
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sturnidae
Genus: Aplonis
Species:
A. opaca
Binomial name
Aplonis opaca
(Kittlitz, 1833)

The Micronesian starling (Aplonis opaca) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Micronesia, from the Northern Mariana Islands to Palau and all the way into eastern Micronesia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is the only native frugivore existing on Guam.[2]

They are bold around humans and will follow humans in seabird colonies to take the eggs of seabirds flushed by them. Indigenously, they are also known as the Såli in Chamorro[3] and Gapl'uw in Yapese; other indigenous names may also exist across Micronesia.

They breed year-round.[4] Both parents care for their young, nesting in cavities.[4] They demonstrate significant aggression when defending nests, especially for older nestlings.[4]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Aplonis opaca". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22710519A94249379. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22710519A94249379.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ Thierry, Hugo; Rogers, Haldre (2020-03-04). "Where to rewild? A conceptual framework to spatially optimize ecological function". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 287 (1922): 20193017. doi:10.1098/rspb.2019.3017. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC 7126074.
  3. ^ Pollock, Henry S.; Fricke, Evan C.; Rehm, Evan M.; Kastner, Martin; Suckow, Nicole; Savidge, Julie A.; Rogers, Haldre S. (2020-01-17). "Såli (Micronesian starling –Aplonis opaca) as a key seed dispersal agent across a tropical archipelago". Journal of Tropical Ecology. 36 (2): 56–64. doi:10.1017/s0266467419000361. ISSN 0266-4674.
  4. ^ a b c Jenkins, J. Mark (January 1983). "The Native Forest Birds of Guam". Ornithological Monographs (31): ii–61. doi:10.2307/40166770.