Abbott's starling

Abbott's starling (Arizelopsar femoralis) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss, and its population is estimated at 2500–9999.^[2] This species, at 16 to 18 cm (6.3 to 7.1 in) long, is the smallest species of starling.^[3] It is in the monotypic genus Arizelopsar.

Abbott's starling
Male
Female
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Sturnidae
Genus:	Arizelopsar Oberholser, 1905
Species:	A. femoralis
Binomial name
Arizelopsar femoralis (Richmond, 1897)
Synonyms
Pholia femoralis Cinnyricinclus femoralis

The name of the species commemorates William Louis Abbott (1860-1936), an American naturalist and collector, who studied the wildlife of the Indo-Malayan region.

Description

The Abbott's starling has a black head and breast with white underparts and a yellow eye. Its voice is a musical whistled call moving up and down the scale.^{[citation needed]}

Diet

The Abbott's starling feeds on insects and fruit, including the fruit of Cornus volkensii.^[4]

Conservation and status

Abbott's starling is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). As of 2020, their population is determined to be decreasing, with an estimated 1,000—2,500 mature individuals in the wild. Deforestation due to illegal logging and agriculture are considered major threats to Abbott's starling.^[1]