IDENTIFICATION

VOCALISATIONS

Has a varied vocabulary that includes short ‘tit’ notes when perched or in flight.

When flushed or alarmed may utter the following call in flight.

DISTRIBUTION & HABITAT PREFERENCE

Favors lowland open-country habitats, mainly in the north and northwest New Territories. Most records are from Tai Sang Wai, Lut Chau, San Tin, Mai Po and Long Valley. It was regularly recorded at Kam Tin before 2010 but there have been no sightings since, probably due to the disappearance of the flock of feral water buffalo that were there. Records outside the north and northwest New Territories are rare, but there are multiple records from some outlying islands including Po Toi, Lantau (Pui O, Yi O, Shap Long and Chek Lap Kok) and Lamma Island. There was also one at urban Ho Man Tin on 26 November 2019.

OCCURRENCE 

Common Starling is a passage migrant and winter visitor mainly from November to the end of January (Figure 1). Extreme dates are 16 October and 14 April. A migratory peak occurs in November, with subsequent numbers subsequently remaining at a low level throughout the winter. A midwinter peak in the second half of January may indicate a response to chilly weather to the north.

The highest count is 25 at Tai Sang Wai on 23 November 2014, followed by 11 at Lut Chau on 24 November 2013. Annual peak counts usually are in single digits, though records of small flocks of up to six birds are regular.

The first record was of two birds at Lok Ma Chau on 7 November 1971 (Webster 1972) and until the winter of 1978/79, a small flock of up to eleven birds was regularly recorded at this site. However, it was only recorded irregularly in the period from 1980 to 2000, with no birds at all in some winters. Since 1999 it has been recorded during each winter period, probably due at least in part to increased observer activity.

It appears unlikely that this easily identified and, to European observers, familiar species was overlooked prior to its discovery in 1971, and it is assumed that its appearance in HK is in some way connected to its eastward spread in Russia (Feare 1996). In China, a similar pattern of increase was noted at Beidaihe, Hebei (Williams 1986), and in Japan where it has increased since 1970 from being an accidental visitor to a regular, though scarce, winter visitor (Brazil 1991).

BEHAVIOUR, FORAGING & DIET

Occurs singly or in small flocks, often with Red-billed and White-cheeked Starlings.

RANGE & SYSTEMATICS 

Breeds in Europe east through southern Siberia as far as Transbaikalia and south into northwest China; some birds are resident, while others winter to the south in north Africa, the Middle East and northern parts of the Indian subcontinent. Introduced to North America (where now abundant and widespread), as well as South Africa, Australia and New Zealand (Cabe 2020).

Polytypic, with two subspecies recorded in China. S. v. poltaratskyi breeds east of the Ural Mountains to Lake Baikal, south to Kazakhstan and the north Kyrgyz Steppes and through north Dzungaria to Mongolia; it winters in southwest Asia to northwest India. S. v. porphyronotus breeds in east Kazakhstan, extreme northwest China (Xinjiang) to east Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and winters in the north Indian subcontinent (Cabe 2020). It also occurs in the mainland Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Philippines and Borneo (GBIF Secretariat 2022).

CONSERVATION STATUS

IUCN: Least Concern. Population trend decreasing.