Birds of Morni: Asian Pied Starling

Asian Pied Starling/Asian Pied Myna/ Gursal/ Ablak (Sturnus contra) is a striking black and white bird with an orange- yellow bill. The head, throat and upper body is black while the cheeks and lower body is white. Asian pied starlings are found in plains and foothills in areas with access to open water. They forage on ground but perch on trees and over-head wires. They feed on fruit, grain, insects, earthworms etc. and can be spotted near refuse dumps near villages or marshy environs of village ponds.They can pierce the soil with the bill and then open apart the bill to uncover food. They nest in trees like banyan, mango etc and build a large dome of straw with an entrance to one side.

Asian Pied Starling at Tibbi, Morni Foothills

Asian Pied Starling, Tibbi

Nest of the Asian pied Starling (August)

Filed in: Birds