White-headed starling explained

The white-headed starling (Sturnia erythropygia), also known as the Andaman white-headed starling, is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in wooded habitats of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Taxonomy

The white-headed starling was formerly placed in the genus Sturnus. A molecular phylogenetic study published in 2008 found that the genus was polyphyletic.^[1] In the reoganization to create monotypic genera, the white-headed starling was one of five starlings moved to the resurrected genus Sturnia that had been introduced in 1837 by René Lesson.^[2]

Three subspecies are recognised:^[2]

• S. e. andamanensis (Beavan, 1867) – Andaman Islands
• S. e. erythropygia Blyth, 1846 – north Nicobar Islands
• S. e. katchalensis Richmond, 1902 – central Nicobar Islands

Notes and References

1. Zuccon . D. . Pasquet . E. . Ericson . P.G.P. . 2008 . Phylogenetic relationships among Palearctic–Oriental starlings and mynas (genera Sturnus and Acridotheres: Sturnidae) . Zoologica Scripta . 37 . 5 . 469-481 . 10.1111/j.1463-6409.2008.00339.x.
2. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . Rasmussen . Pamela . Pamela Rasmussen . July 2023 . Nuthatches, Wallcreeper, treecreepers, mockingbirds, starlings, oxpeckers . IOC World Bird List Version 13.2 . International Ornithologists' Union . 14 August 2023 .