Name:Acridotheres cristatellus
Outline:Songbird
Family:Passeriformes Sturnidae Myna
length:23-28cm
Weight:78-150g
Life:8~12years
IUCN:LC
Starlings are common in southern my country. They are not only important agricultural and forestry birds, but also popular caged birds. They can imitate the calls of other birds and simple human speech. They are widely caged in China and have been introduced to the Philippines and Canada.
They like to gather in groups, often standing on the backs of buffaloes, or gathering on big trees, or standing in rows on the ridges of roofs. At dusk, they often fly in large groups in the sky, and roost after making noises for a while. They sleep in bamboo forests, big trees or reeds at night, and roost in mixed groups with other starlings.
Often forage in plowed farmland, or stand on the backs of cattle, pigs and other livestock to eat parasites. Active, active in groups, sometimes in large groups, especially in the evening, in large groups to spend the night in trees. The night roosting place is relatively fixed, often active and foraging on the ground nearby, and only fly to the night roosting place at dusk. Good at singing, especially in the evening is very noisy.
Wild starlings have a mixed diet, mainly feeding on insects and insect larvae such as locusts, grasshoppers, beetles, snakes, caterpillars, cutworms, flies, lice, etc., as well as plant foods such as grains, plant fruits and seeds. They often follow farmers and oxen to peck at earthworms, insects, worms, etc. that are plowed out of the soil. They also like to peck at horseflies, flies and ticks on the backs of cattle, and also prey on locusts, beetles, mole crickets, etc. Most of the plant foods of starlings are various plants and weed seeds, as well as figs and vegetable stems and leaves.
The breeding season is from April to August. They nest in tree holes and building caves, which are lined with grass roots, grass stems, grass leaves, vines, feathers, debris, snake skin, plastic film, etc. The nest has no fixed shape. Sometimes they also nest in small groups.