White-cheeked Starling

The White-cheeked Starling, also widely known as the Grey Starling, is a medium-sized starling with overall sooty grey-brown plumage. Its face is marked with bold white patches on the forehead, cheeks, and around the base of the bill, giving it a distinctive masked appearance, while the bill and legs are bright orange-yellow. In flight, a whitish rump patch is often visible.

Highly social and adaptable, it is one of the most familiar birds in cities, towns, and farmland across Japan, Korea, and eastern China, often seen in large, noisy flocks foraging on lawns and fields or gathering at communal roosts in the evening.

Key field marks

• Sooty grey-brown body plumage
• Bold white patches on the forehead, lores, and cheeks
• Bright orange-yellow bill and legs
• Pale, whitish rump visible in flight

Similar species

• Common Starling is glossier and more iridescent with a longer, more pointed bill and lacks the bold white face patches.
• Red-billed Starling has a mostly white head with a black mask, differing in pattern.

Habitat

Uses open farmland, rice paddies, grassy fields, parks, and urban areas, often foraging on lawns and plowed ground.

Range

Widespread across Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and eastern China, with some populations wintering further south into southern China and Taiwan.

Migration

Partially migratory; northern populations move south for winter while many southern populations are resident, and large post-breeding flocks form communal roosts.

Behavior

Highly gregarious, foraging in flocks on the ground and gathering in large, noisy communal roosts, sometimes numbering in the thousands, especially in urban trees at dusk.

Voice

A varied mix of harsh chattering, squeaky, and whistled notes, often given by many birds at once at roost sites.

Feeding

Walks on open ground probing for insects and grubs, and also eats fruit, berries, and grain, readily foraging in farmland and urban lawns.

Nesting

Nests in cavities such as tree holes, building eaves, or nest boxes; lays 4-6 pale blue eggs.