Black-collared Starling

The black-collared starling (Gracupica nigricollis) is a species of starling with black and white plumage and a black collar. It is found in southern China and most of mainland Southeast Asia, and has been introduced to Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore. Its habitats include grassland, dry forest and human settlements. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as being of least concern. (Wikipedia, general species account).

Taxonomy This species was described as Gracula nigricollis by Gustaf von Paykull in 1807. Formerly placed in the genus Sturnus, it and the Siamese pied myna (Gracupica floweri) were separated to the genus Gracupica when Sturnus was split, following phylogenetic studies in 2008. In the past it had also been placed in Sturnopastor, Acridotheres and Graculipica. Description The black-collared starling is 26–30 cm (10–12 in) long.