Bali Starling

The Bali Starling, or Bali Myna, Leucopsar rothschildi, is a myna, a member of the starling family. This bird is endemic to the island of Bali in Indonesia. It is critically endangered, with a population in the wild of twelve in 1999. About 1,000 are believed to survive in captivity.

This is a stunning, medium-large (25cm), stocky starling. It is almost wholly white with a long, drooping crest, black wing-tips and tail tip. It has blue bare skin around the eyes, and a yellow bill.

Its decline towards extinction has been caused the urbanization of the island and by illegal trapping due to the worldwide demands of the cage-bird trade.