Animalia Life

Aplonis cinerascens
SUBFAMILY
Sturninae
TAXONOMY
Aplonis cinerascens Hartlaub and Finsch, 1871.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Stourne de Rarotonga; German: Rarotongastar; Spanish: Estornino de Rarotonga.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
8.3 in (21 cm). A chunky gray-brown bird with white undertailcoverts.
DISTRIBUTION
Mountains of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.
HABITAT
Undisturbed mountain forests.
BEHAVIOR
Quiet, inconspicuous, shy, solitary or in pairs, usually found in the forest canopy.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Sparse data suggest a diet of diverse insects, fruit, and possibly nectar.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Cavity nester. Only two nests known; nest materials are dried leaves and other plant fibers.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Vulnerable; in 1987, the population in the wild was estimated at fewer than 100 birds. Major problems include habitat destruction and predation by introduced black rats.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.

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