Red List Category

Red List Criteria

Version

2010

BirdLife International

Calvert, R., Symes, A., Butchart, S.

Dijkman, G., Wood, P., Benstead, P., Brickle, N.

This stunning starling qualifies as Critically Endangered because it has an extremely small range and a tiny population which is still suffering from illegal poaching for the cagebird trade. Releases of captively bred birds have boosted the population, but it is uncertain how many of these have yet bred successfully in the wild. In due course, if the population convintues to grow and trapping pressures can be brought under control, the species may warrant downlisting.