Asian pied starling is a medium sized starling being black and white. It has a orange and yellow bill and orange-reddish skin around the eyes.
Male and female are alike but juveniles have dark-brown replacing black. White cheeks are replaced by brown and becomes less distinct.
Their number are very rich in the Southeast Asia mainly in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar.
Length: 20-25 cm.
Weight: 75-90 gm.
Call: High-pitched liquid and pleasant notes.
Habitat: Cultivation, villages, damp grassland, open areas with scattered trees. Nesting season starts from March and extends to September. Large,untidy nest with lateral entrance is made of twigs, leaves, grass and rubbish.
Food habit: They roam in flocks and feed on insects, spiders, earthworms, molluscs, various grains, fruits etc. Mainly they are omnivorous.
Reproduction: Breeding season is from March to September. Female lays 4-6 eggs. Both sexes share the nesting chores and care of offspring.
Reference:
Salim Ali, The Book of Indian Birds
Mohammad Ali Reza Khan, Wildlife of Bangaladesh
Richard Grimmett and Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp, Birds of the Indian Subcontinent
