Birds · Passeriformes · Sturnidae

Socotra Starling

Onychognathus frater

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Socotra starling is a black bird with metallic sheen and large chestnut panels on the wings, endemic to Socotra, a Yemeni archipelago in the Indian Ocean known as the Galápagos of the Indian Ocean for its extremely high level of endemism. It feeds on fruit, nectar and insects and is one of the commonest birds on the island.

Weight

70 g – 100 g

Size

25 cm – 28 cm

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertMountainIslandsOmnivore Diurnal Bird Desert Mountain Islands

1countries 1parks6same family

Fun facts

Socotra is one of the archipelagos with the highest proportion of endemic species on the planet: around a third of its plants and a notable share of its fauna exist nowhere else, this bird included.
It feeds on the fruit and nectar of the Socotra dragon tree, the umbrella-shaped tree that is the island's symbol, and helps disperse its seeds.
The armed conflict in Yemen has interrupted much of the scientific monitoring of the archipelago, so recent data on its populations are scarce.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Rocky slopes, wadis and dragon tree woodland of the island of Socotra, in Yemen
Sexual maturity: 2 years
Gestation / incubation: 15 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 3 eggs

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/