Starlings
Rosy Starling
Pastor roseus
Alasığırcık
Compact short-tailed starling, pink-bodied and dark-headed in breeding plumage; juveniles are brown.
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Conservation status
- LC Least Concern
First look in the field
Quick identification
- Pink Body and Dark Head
A compact, short-tailed starling.
- Sex and Age Are Not the Same
Males tend to be brighter, but females and younger birds overlap in appearance.
Biometrics
Length
- Male
- About 21 cm
- Female
- About 21 cm
Wingspan
- Male
- About 36 cm
- Female
- About 36 cm
Weight
- Male
- mean 83.9 g
- Female
- mean 72.7 g
Detailed explanations of these measurements are available on our website, on the same species page.
World distribution
Rosy Starling
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Observation Sites
Bird Atlas recordsLoading observations…
Monthly record intensity
12 monthsRecord intensity is affected by observation effort.
Rotate the globe and compare the supported layers. Colours show broad range areas, not exact sightings or nests.
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Generalised data and method
Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
Bibliography ↗Authentic bird sound and ethical use
Voice and listening
See the detailed species account below.
Spoken guide
Narration has not been recorded; no audio file has been created.
Observe without approaching the nest
Breeding
Masses are adult sample means from Romania in July 2003, not Turkish limits. A grass-and-twig nest occupies rock or masonry cavities. Usually 3–6 pale-blue eggs are incubated for about two weeks; young remain in the nest for roughly three weeks. Timing varies. Never open a nest cavity to check it.
Scientific species guide
Detailed account
Pink Body and Dark Head
A compact, short-tailed starling. Breeding adults combine pink back, rump and lower body with dark head, throat, wings and tail. The elongated crown feathers can rise into a crest. The bill is relatively short and stout, with a slightly curved upper edge; colour changes with age and season.
Sex and Age Are Not the Same
Males tend to be brighter, but females and younger birds overlap in appearance. Females can retain brownish throat and nape feathers. A sandy-brown juvenile is not automatically female. Fresh pale feather tips and subsequent wear also affect colour. The protected female illustration requires an age-and-season review rather than a confident sex assignment.
Measurements and Nest
Masses are adult sample means from Romania in July 2003, not Turkish limits. A grass-and-twig nest occupies rock or masonry cavities. Usually 3–6 pale-blue eggs are incubated for about two weeks; young remain in the nest for roughly three weeks. Timing varies. Never open a nest cavity to check it.
Summer Visitor and Migrant in Turkey
Large flocks occur on suitable open land, but numbers and colony sites vary between years. The Turkish breeding atlas uses this species as an example of late-arriving migrants nesting from around mid-May. That is a broad guide, not a fixed date for every region and elevation.
A Dated Colony Example
A 2008 study reported roughly 1,500–2,000 breeding pairs near Muş on 9 June 2005, but none at the same place in 2007. This is historical evidence of variation, not a current colony location. Separate flock sightings from actual breeding evidence.
Wintering and Population Estimates
The breeding range extends from south-eastern Europe into central Asia; major wintering areas lie in India and neighbouring regions. BirdLife's 2021 table estimates 3,000–30,000 Turkish pairs for 2013–2019, based on expert opinion, with fluctuating trends. It is not a current census. Independent map records do not identify a single bird's route.
Open Ground with Short Vegetation
Steppes, pastures and agricultural openings provide feeding habitat. Birds may disappear behind grass while moving together. Watch the flock first, then resolve an individual's head and body. Other starlings may share the area, so do not assign every bird the same identity.
Sheltered Colonial Nest Sites
Rock crevices, stone piles and cavities in old masonry can hold nests. Feeding ground and the nesting site are distinct resources. Do not move stones, insert cameras or obstruct adults carrying material or food. Observe from a safe distance without entering a colony.
Beyond the Breeding Season
Fruiting trees, more wooded patches and farmland may be used. Communal roosts can include other starling species. An evening gathering does not establish nesting. Record feeding, resting and roosting separately; do not flush a flock to obtain flight photographs. A map point represents a record, not the boundary of the entire habitat.
Invertebrates During Breeding
Grasshoppers and locusts are important foods, often taken on the ground. Local abundance helps explain large gatherings and variable colonies. A flock's presence does not prove that all agricultural pests have been eliminated; that would require measurement.
A Seasonal Menu
Fruits, seeds and other plant foods become important outside breeding. Nectar use is reported in wintering areas, but should not be assumed for every Turkish observation. Perching in a fruit tree is not proof of fruit consumption. Describe the item actually seen, using a broad category when identification is uncertain.
Adults Feeding Young
Both parents provision chicks, and recently fledged young remain dependent briefly. A youngster waiting on the ground is not necessarily abandoned. Keep feeding routes clear and avoid baiting. Count returning birds carefully rather than treating each arrival as a new individual. The balance between insect and fruit consumption cannot be reduced to a single beneficial-or-harmful label.
Dull Does Not Mean Female
Research published in 2005 found considerable overlap in plumage features between sexes and ages. Males average larger and brighter, but a photograph with weak pink does not establish sex. Measurements used in ringing studies are not an invitation for visitors to catch birds.
Feather Wear Reveals Colour
Museum-based studies distinguish fresh pale-tipped feathers from worn plumage. First-year and older birds also differ. Comparing pictures taken in different seasons can exaggerate apparent sex differences. Do not expect a juvenile to show the adult's sharply pink back.
A Flock Is Not a Permanent Colony
Historical Turkish observations and fluctuating population assessments show why repeat visits matter. Date the sighting and record flock size, habitat and breeding evidence, including uncertainty in counts. The protected male and female drawings face opposite directions; the slider is not an anatomical measurement tool. Concerns about the female's age representation and bill or wing details were logged without altering artwork or pins.
Text and plates come from existing atlas records; references are in the central bibliography.
Open bibliography