Rarotonga Starling (Aplonis cinerascens)
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Rarotonga Starling

Aplonis cinerascens Hartlaub & Finsch, 1871

83 gWeight

The Rarotonga starling (Aplonis cinerascens) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae.

Busiest months: July and October · Most records: Cook Islands

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: July and October · Most records: Cook Islands

Rarotonga Starling has been recorded at 7 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Rarotonga – Takitumu Conservation AreaCook Islands49 records
  2. RarotongaCook Islands12 records
  3. Rarotonga – Te Rua Manga (Needle) TrackCook Islands9 records
More places
  1. Titikaveka Coastline & village areaCook Islands2 records
  2. Rarotonga – Muri Beach/LagoonCook Islands2 records
  3. Rarotonga – Wigmore Watefall areaCook Islands1 record
  4. Rarotonga – Avarua vicinityCook Islands1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Cook Islands

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Rarotonga starling (Aplonis cinerascens) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is endemic to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Rarotonga Starling?

The Rarotonga Starling weighs around 83 g.

Where does the Rarotonga Starling live?

Its breeding range: Pacific Ocean: Rarotonga (south-central Cook Islands, eastern Polynesia). It is most often recorded in Cook Islands.

When is the best time to see the Rarotonga Starling?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in July and October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Rarotonga Starling endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Rarotonga Starling as Near Threatened.

What does the Rarotonga Starling eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Rarotonga Starling in?

It belongs to the family Starlings, Rhabdornises (Sturnidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
83 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Near Threatened
More measurements
Wing
120 mm
Tail
76 mm
Bill
26 mm
Tarsus
32 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Pacific Ocean: Rarotonga (south-central Cook Islands, eastern Polynesia)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Starlings, Rhabdornises Sturnidae
Genus
Aplonis

Other birds in the genus Aplonis

Metallic StarlingMetallic StarlingAplonis metallicaYellow-eyed StarlingYellow-eyed StarlingAplonis mystaceaSinging StarlingSinging StarlingAplonis cantoroidesTanimbar StarlingTanimbar StarlingAplonis crassaAtoll StarlingAtoll StarlingAplonis feadensisRennell StarlingRennell StarlingAplonis insularisLong-tailed StarlingLong-tailed StarlingAplonis magnaWhite-eyed StarlingWhite-eyed StarlingAplonis brunneicapillusBrown-winged StarlingBrown-winged StarlingAplonis grandisMakira StarlingMakira StarlingAplonis dichroaRusty-winged StarlingRusty-winged StarlingAplonis zelandicaStriated StarlingStriated StarlingAplonis striata
Rarotonga Starling

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by akohekoheguy. ↗

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