STARLINGS OF AUSTRALIA

Australia has exactly 4 species of starling resident in its territories. 2 of these are introduced, 1 of them can only be found regularly in the Torres Strait Islands and 1 is native to mainland Australia. There were once 3 species of starling native to Australia, but one of them is now extinct.
NATIVE SPECIES

METALLIC STARLING (with nests)

METALLIC STARLING 

The metallic starling Aplonis metallica is a species of starling native to northeastern Australia, as well as New Guinea and several nearby islands. The adult has black plumage that is glossed with green, as well as a long tail and bright red eyes with black pupils. Immatures have pale underparts, with dark streaking. These birds are highly social, even when they are not breeding. They build large, globular nests, in dense colonies in large rainforest trees. Many fledged juveniles can be seen with adults in these colonies. In Australia the metallic starling can be found only along the northeast coast of Queensland, from Mackay to the tip of Cape York, however it is common only north of Ingham. It is mostly a summer migrant that arrives in August and September. Most leave by April, though a few stay and overwinter. I have seen these birds in the Daintree Forest.
The singing starling Aplonis cantoroides is a species of starling that can be found in New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, Admiralty Islands and Solomon Islands, as well as several nearby islands. They look very similar to the metallic starling, but have shorter, square tails and thicker bills. They inhabit forest edges, cultivated areas with trees, urban areas, coconut groves and gardens. Their call is a repeated, high-pitched whistle. In Australia the singing starling can be found only on the islands of Boigu and Saibai in the Torres Strait. On Boigu there is a small colony of them. As of now, I have not seen one of these birds.
The tasman starling Aplonis fusca is a species of starling that was once found only on Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island. There were two subspecies. The Norfolk starling Aplonis fusca fusca was found on Norfolk Island, and the Lord Howe starling Aplonis fusca hulliana was found on Lord Howe Island. It was a mostly greyish-brown bird, with whitish undertail converts. Males had a glossy green head and throat. Their bills were black and their eyes orange-red. Females were similar, but with a duller greenish gloss, a grey throat and pale brownish flanks. Lord Howe starlings were much browner and more greyish. Both subspecies are now extinct. Black rats caused the Lord Howe starling to die off, and probably are also what killed the Norfolk starling.
INTRODUCED SPECIES

COMMON MYNA (subspecies tristis)

COMMON STARLING (subspecies vulgaris?)

The common myna Acridotheres tristis is a species of starling that has been introduced to many parts of the world. In Australia it is hated, despised and considered a major pest, gaining the nickname 'flying cane toad'. It is one of the three birds listed on the world's top 100 worst invasive species, along with the red-vented bulbul and common starling. It won an award for being the 'Worst Pest of Australia' and has been considered 'The Most Important Pest/Problem for Australia'. There are two subspecies. Subspecies tristis is found almost throughout the myna's range, while subspecies melanosternus is endemic to Sri Lanka. Melanosternus birds are darker, with a larger yellow cheek-patch. Its eggs are coloured blue.
The common starling Sturnus vulgaris is a medium-sized bird, with glossy black plumage. In winter this is speckled with white. Immatures are pale brown. There are several subspecies. This rather noisy bird is one of the three birds in the top 100 worst invasive species (see above for the rest). Its song is a wide variety of melodic and mechanical noises, and the male sings more than the female. These highly gregarious birds are even more gregarious in autumn and winter, when they form huge flocks in some parts of the world, in which there can sometimes be more than a million starlings. They eat mainly insects, but will also take grains, seeds, fruits, food scraps, nectar, frogs and lizards, being very omnivorous. The Azores subspecies of the common starling will also eat the eggs of the Roseate tern, which is why many people are considering culling them before the terns return to their breeding colonies.
VAGRANTS
Several other species of starling have popped up as vagrants in Australia. These include chestnut-cheeked starlings, rose-coloured starlings and purple-backed starlings. These are not regular visitors to Australia, they are simply very rare vagrants. As of 2011 there were three species of vagrant starling in Australia, not counting the singing starling which is sometimes regarded as a vagrant.