Cultural
In Sri Lanka, this bird is known as ''Hisa sudu Sharikava'' in the Sinhala language.References:
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White-faced starling
Sturnornis albofrontatus
The white-faced starling, is a member of the starling family of birds. It is an endemic resident breeder in Sri Lanka. It was for a long time erroneously known as ''S. senex''; this was eventually identified as a junior synonym of the red-billed starling .
The adults of these 22 cm-long birds have green-glossed dark grey upperparts and whitish underparts. The head is paler than the underparts. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller, with brown upperparts and greyer underparts.
As the genus ''Sturnus'' is highly paraphyletic, it was not certain whether the present species would be retained therein. Though it was not included in recent studies , its appearance suggests it is not close to the European starling, the type species of ''Sturnus''. It is also generally not included among those species which are often placed in ''Acridotheres''. Most taxonomic authorities place the species in its own genus, Sturnornis.
This passerine is typically found in tall forest, usually high in the canopy. The white-faced starling builds its nest in a hole. The normal clutch is two eggs.
Like most starlings, the white-faced starling is fairly omnivorous, eating fruit, nectar and insects.
The adults of these 22 cm-long birds have green-glossed dark grey upperparts and whitish underparts. The head is paler than the underparts. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller, with brown upperparts and greyer underparts.
As the genus ''Sturnus'' is highly paraphyletic, it was not certain whether the present species would be retained therein. Though it was not included in recent studies , its appearance suggests it is not close to the European starling, the type species of ''Sturnus''. It is also generally not included among those species which are often placed in ''Acridotheres''. Most taxonomic authorities place the species in its own genus, Sturnornis.
This passerine is typically found in tall forest, usually high in the canopy. The white-faced starling builds its nest in a hole. The normal clutch is two eggs.
Like most starlings, the white-faced starling is fairly omnivorous, eating fruit, nectar and insects.
