A beautiful bird in Thailand is the pagoda starling (Sturnia pagodarum). This is a species of starling in the genus Sturnia, a genus of songbirds in the starling family (Sturnidae). 

The pagoda starling is 21,5 to 23 cm long and colored cream to orange, with black on the head and a crest. The beak is yellow, at the base blue. Around the eye is a narrow ring of skin that is also bluish in color. The crest is more conspicuous in the male than in the female.

The name pagoda starling probably comes from the fact that the starling is common around temples in South India. It is a bird that you see in different types of landscapes including forests, but also in the neighborhood where people live.

Outside the breeding season, the bird lives in groups, often with other species of starlings and parakeets. The pagoda starling is also kept as an aviary bird.

2 Responses to “Birdwatching in Thailand: Pagoda Starling (Sturnia pagodarum)”

  1. Angela Schrauwen says up

    I have already seen a “blue bird” twice. What is the correct name? I thought it only appeared in fairy tales...

  2. raymond says up

    irena puella, inene bulbul, or asian fairy bluebird. These are the official names.


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