Rose-coloured Starling

Pastor roseus

Introduction

This scarce visitor may be encountered within flocks of Common Starlings, where its two-tone plumage – buff-pink and black in first winter birds, grey-brown and black in juveniles – can reveal its presence. Breeding plumage adults are seen here less commonly.

Rose-coloured Starlings breed from Turkey and Ukraine east to Mongolia, and winter in India. In some years, movements into western Europe may occur in some years and breeding may then follow.

Key Stats

Status

Rare

Weight

77.5g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

11k records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

400% expansion

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Middlesex, 1742

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

0.4%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Winter Distribution for Rose-coloured Starling

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Breeding Distribution for Rose-coloured Starling

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

400 %

Seasonality

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Rose-coloured Starling is a scarce passage migrant, with adults recorded in late spring and juveniles in autumn; some individuals have overwintered.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Rose-coloured Starling movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Rose-coloured Starling, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Rose-coloured Starling

Classification and Codes

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Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sturnidae
Scientific name: Pastor roseus
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 2-letter code: OE
BTO 5-letter code: ROCST
Euring code number: 15840

Alternate species names

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Catalan: estornell rosat
Czech: špacek ružový
Danish: Rosenstær
Dutch: Roze Spreeuw
Estonian: roosa-kuldnokk
Finnish: punakottarainen
French: Étourneau roselin
Gaelic: Druid-dhearg

German: Rosenstar
Hungarian: pásztormadár
Icelandic: Rósastari
Irish: Druid Rósach
Italian: Storno roseo
Latvian: sartais strazds
Lithuanian: rožinis varnenas
Norwegian: Rosenstær

Polish: pasterz
Portuguese: estorninho-rosado
Slovak: pastier ružový
Slovenian: rožnati škorec
Spanish: Estornino rosado
Swedish: rosenstare
Welsh: Drudwen Wridog

English folkname(s): Rosy Pastor

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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