One of the 5 starlings on WAnimals
Birds · Passeriformes · Sturnidae
Rarotonga Starling
Aplonis cinerascens
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
The Rarotonga starling is a greyish-brown bird endemic to a single South Pacific island, Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands. It survives in the native forest of the mountainous interior, above the settled areas of the coast. Its total population is around fifteen hundred birds and depends entirely on that forest remaining standing and free of rats.
Weight
60 g – 90 g
Size
19 cm – 22 cm
Lifespan
12 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Diurnal
Active mainly during the day.
Social structure
In pairs
Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Estimated population
Around 1,500 individuals
Fun facts
- The whole species lives on an island of 67 square kilometres, and in practice only in the mountainous interior: the lowland forest was replaced centuries ago by crops and settlements.
- It is one of the few native birds to have survived on Rarotonga after the arrival of rats, cats and common mynas, a combination that finished off several of the island's species.
- Its population is stable but tiny, so the species depends entirely on the control of introduced predators in the interior of the island.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
- Habitat & environment
- Native montane forest of the interior of Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands
- Sexual maturity
- 2 years
- Gestation / incubation
- 15 days of incubation
- Litter / clutch size
- 2 eggs
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aplonis_cinerascens
Where to watch it
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Rarotonga Starling — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Bristle-thighed Curlew
Numenius tahitiensis
Common Myna
Acridotheres tristis
Pacific Golden Plover
Pluvialis fulva
Common Hill Myna
Gracula religiosa
Socotra Starling
Onychognathus frater
Superb Starling
Lamprotornis superbus
How to help
The rarotonga starling is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
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Based on what we already know about rarotonga starling.
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