The Daurian starling (Agropsar sturninus), or purple-backed starling, is a species of bird in the starling family found in the eastern Palearctic from eastern Mongolia and southeastern Russia to North Korea and central China.
Taxonomy and systematics
The Daurian starling was previously placed in the genus Sturnus. It was moved to the resurrected genus Agropsar based on the results of two molecular phylogenetic studies that were published in 2008.[2][3][4]
Description
The Daurian starling is distinguished from other starling species by its dark mantle and crown and narrow wing bars.[5]
Distribution and habitat
The natural habitats of the Daurian starling are boreal forests and temperate forests.
^Zuccon, D.; Pasquet, E.; Ericson, P.G.P. (2008). "Phylogenetic relationships among Palearctic-Oriental starlings and mynas (genera Sturnus and Acridotheres: Sturnidae)". Zoologica Scripta. 37: 469–481. doi:10.1111/j.1463-6409.2008.00339.x.
^Lovette, I.J.; McCleery, B.V.; Talaba, A.L.; Rubenstein, D.R. (2008). "A complete species-level molecular phylogeny for the 'Eurasian' starlings (Sturnidae:Sturnus, Acridotheres, and allies): Recent diversification in a highly social and dispersive avian group". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 47 (1): 251–260. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2008.01.020. PMID18321732.
