Aplonis fusca
The Tasman Starling, *Aplonis fusca*, was a small, rather unassuming passerine belonging to the Sturnidae family, now tragically extinct. Measuring approximately 18-20 cm in length, it displayed a generally dusky, sooty brownish-black plumage, often with a subtle, dull metallic sheen that could appear purplish-brown or greenish-brown in certain lights, making it less iridescent than many of its *Aplonis* relatives. Its distinctive features included a slender, black bill and striking bright ye...
Historically found in subtropical forests, coastal thickets, and shrublands of Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island, often frequenting areas near human habitation. It was observed from sea level up to the islands' highest elevations.
Primarily omnivorous, its diet historically consisted of insects, various native and introduced fruits, berries, and nectar, which it gleaned from foliage and foraged on the ground.
Historically, the Tasman Starling was a diurnal and social bird, typically observed foraging in small, active flocks. They were primarily arboreal, adeptly gleaning insects, fruits, and nectar from the foliage and branches of trees, but also descended to the ground to forage. While specific court...
The Tasman Starling's historical range was severely restricted, confined solely to two isolated islands in the Tasman Sea: Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island, located east of mainland Australia. Each island supported a distinct subspecies; *Aplonis fusca hulliana* inhabited Lord Howe Island, whi...
Extinct
- The Tasman Starling is one of only a handful of bird species known to have gone extinct on both Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. - Its extinction was alarmingly swift, with both subspecies disappearing within a few decades of widespread European settlement. - The Lord Howe Island subspecies...