White-headed starling

Not to be confused with White-faced starling.

White-headed starling
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Sturnidae
Genus:	Sturnia
Species:	S. erythropygia
Binomial name
Sturnia erythropygia Blyth, 1846
Synonyms
Sturnus erythropygius

The white-headed starling (Sturnia erythropygia), also known as the Andaman white-headed starling, is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in wooded habitats of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Taxonomy

The white-headed starling was formerly placed in the genus Sturnus . A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2008 found that the genus was polyphyletic. ^[2] In the reoganization to create monotypic genera, the white-headed starling was one of five starlings moved to the resurrected genus Sturnia that had been introduced in 1837 by René Lesson. ^[3]

Three subspecies are recognised: ^[3]

• S. e. andamanensis (Beavan, 1867) – Andaman Islands
• S. e. erythropygia Blyth, 1846 – north Nicobar Islands
• S. e. katchalensis Richmond, 1902 – central Nicobar Islands

References

1. BirdLife International (2018). "Sturnia erythropygia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018 e.T22710861A132090637. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22710861A132090637.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.
2. Zuccon, D.; Pasquet, E.; Ericson, P.G.P. (2008). "Phylogenetic relationships among Palearctic–Oriental starlings and mynas (genera Sturnus and Acridotheres: Sturnidae)". Zoologica Scripta. 37 (5): 469–481. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2008.00339.x.
3. Gill, Frank; Donsker, David; Rasmussen, Pamela, eds. (July 2023). "Nuthatches, Wallcreeper, treecreepers, mockingbirds, starlings, oxpeckers". IOC World Bird List Version 13.2. International Ornithologists' Union. Retrieved 14 August 2023.