Tasman Starling

Norfolk -Star ( Aplonis fusca )

The Norfolk - star ( fusca Aplonis, formerly Aplonis fuscus ) was described in 1836 by John Gould as monotypic starling from the Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. The Australian ornithologist Gregory Macalister Mathews recognized, however, in 1928, that the plumage of the Lord Howe Island race was browner and less gray than that of Norfolk Island race and split their Aplonis fuscus in the nominate Aplonis fusca fusca (Norfolk -Star) and the subspecies Aplonis fusca hulliana ( Lord Howe Star ). When the islanders of Norfolk and Lord Howe they were called " roach " or according to their reputation " cúdgimarúk ". Both breeds are extinct.

Description

He reached a size of 20 cm. The wing length was 9.8 to 10.3 cm, the tail length from 6.3 to 6.8 cm, the beak length 1.3 cm and 2.5 cm of the running. He was generally grayish brown. The male was green shiny metallic from head to throat. The back, the rump, the upper tail-coverts, the elytra and the bottom was gray, but the under tail-coverts whitish. The beak was black and the eyes orange. The female was similar to the colored males. The greenish gloss, however, was dull and gray throat contrasted with the light brown flanks. The lower chest was washed out ocher. The belly and under tail-coverts were yellowish white.

Extinction

The reasons for its extinction are unclear. Overhunting and habitat destruction have probably played an important role. Reports that he was cut off from his relative Lord Howe Island by rats as are flawed since there has been a plague of rats on Norfolk Island until the 1940s. He died in 1923.