About Aplonis tabuensis (Gmelin, 1788)
The Polynesian starling, with the scientific name Aplonis tabuensis, is a starling species that belongs to the family Sturnidae. This species can be found in the Samoan Islands, Fiji, Niue, Tonga, the Santa Cruz Islands, and Wallis and Futuna. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, and tropical moist forests. A number of different subspecies live across the species’ wide range, with some subspecies having darker coloration and others having lighter coloration. The call of the Polynesian starling is a raspy buzz or rattle. It feeds on a diet of fruit and insects. On islands that also have the Samoan starling, the Polynesian starling is less conspicuous, stays within forest areas, and feeds on harder, less edible fruit.
