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Spotless Starling![]() Size: 21-23 cm Weight: 70-100 g |
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Similar |
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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BREEDING |
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MALE |
Frontal view of a male Spotless Starling in breeding
plumage;
note the bluish-grey base of the bill
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]
Frontal view of a male Spotless Starling in breeding
plumage
landing on a branch
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a male Spotless Starling in breeding
plumage;
note the bluish-grey base of the bill
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2014]
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FEMALE |
Near-frontal view of a male Spotless Starling in breeding
plumage;
note the yellowish-white base of the lower mandible
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2014]
Lateral view of a female Spotless Starling in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2019]
Lateral/ventral view of a female Spotless Starling in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Badajoz, Spain, November 2021]
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PAIR |
Lateral view of a pair of Spotless Starlings in breeding
plumage,
male on the left
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, March 2020]
Pair of Spotless Starlings in breeding
plumage
with two dependent juveniles
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2020]
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NON-BREEDING |
Sex unknown |
Lateral view of a Spotless Starling in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2015]
Lateral view of a Spotless Starling in non-breeding
plumage
in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, September 2020]
Lateral view of a Spotless Starling in non-breeding
plumage
in flight
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, March 2020]
Comparison between Spotless Starlings, top, with a
Common Starling
in non-breeding
plumage, bottom;
of the four Spotless Starlings, 3 are adults (still) in breeding
plumage,
while the bird at the upper right is in eclipse
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mertola, Alentejo, Portugal, October 2019]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of a juvenile Spotless Starling; note the pale gape
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, June 2015]
Near-frontal view of a begging precocial Spotless Starling;
note the orange gape
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2015]
Lateral view of a begging precocial Spotless Starling;
note the orange gape
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, July 2015]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Apr - Jul | Eggs: 4 - 5 | Incubation period: 11 - 14 days | Fledging age: ca. 21 days |
The length of the breeding season depends on geographic latitude and starts in March in north-western Africa. Spotless Starlings can have 1-2 broods per season.
Nest building: Male & female | Incubation: Female (& male) | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Nest |
Type: Basket in hollow/crevice | Material: Straw, grass, leaves, feathers | Height above ground: ? |
Male Spotless Starling at the entrance to its nest hollow
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2019]
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Eggs |
Size: 31 x 22 mm | Colour: Glossy white | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Although sedentary, Spotless Starlings also congregate in flocks
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]
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Food, Diet |
Lateral view of a Spotless Starling taking off with an olive
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2015]
Lateral view of a Spotless Starling picking flesh out of a fig
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, October 2013]
Spotless Starling taking a mulberry
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]
Spotless Starling carrying food for its brood
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2019]
Spotless Starling carrying food for its young - given the
size of the mulberries, they may be for fledged chicks
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
splstar_jp_20200210.m4a | (Portugal) | Contact call(?) | © JP | |
splstar_jp_20190606_2.m4a | (Portugal) | Contact calls(?) | © JP | |
splstar_jp_20190606.m4a | (Portugal) | Various | © JP | |
splstar_jp_20200515.m4a | (Portugal) | Various | © JP |
More Spotless Starling sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.