Measurements.—Measurements are listed in [table 45].
Specimens examined.—Total number, 40 (21 males, 19 females), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM—Koror, 3 (Nov. 6)—Garakayo, 2 (Sept. 19)—Ngesebus, 1 (Sept. 20)—Peleliu, 7 (Aug. 28, 29, 30, 31, Sept. 5); AMNH—exact locality not given, 27 (Oct., Nov., Dec.).
Molt.—Many of the specimens taken in August and September show evidence of molt; most of the specimens taken in October, November and December are not in molt.
Remarks.—The amount of greenish gloss on the feathers of A. o. orii and A. o. angus appears to be the same, but the streaked underparts of the immature of A. o. orii are duller than those of the immature of A. o. angus. The shallower bill in the Palau starling is caused by the lower edge of the mandible being generally straighter than that in A. o. angus and A. o. opacus. In comparing A. o. orii with A. o. kurodai, Takatsukasa and Yamashina (1931a:458) state that "the greenish gloss is less pronounced and of a duller shade than that of A. o. kurodai Momiyama."
The starling is probably the most abundant land bird in the Palaus. It was found as singles or in small flocks at all islands visited by the NAMRU2 party in 1945. As at the other islands of Micronesia, the starling at Palau is noisy and conspicuous. It is a most inquisitive bird, often following the collector through the woodlands. Apparently the starling prefers the open woodlands and marginal areas to the thicker jungles; as a result of clearing operations during the war, the bird probably has increased. The starling is primarily a vegetarian; I found no animal matter in stomachs examined at Palau or at Ulithi or Guam. At Palau, as at other islands, more of the starlings seen were in immature plumage than in adult plumage. Coultas (field notes) found the birds to be abundant at Koror and highly prized as food by the natives and Japanese. He writes, "It is surprising what a fine wholesome meal certain people can get out of handful of rice and a starling's breast."
Aplonis opacus guami Momiyama
Micronesia Starling
Aplonis opaca guami Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 9. (Type locality, Guam).
Turdus columbinus Lesson (part), Traité d'Ornith., 1831, p. 406 (Mariannes = Guam).
Lamproth[ornis] opaca Kittlitz (part), Kupfertaf. Naturgesch. Vögel, 2, 1833, p. 11, pl. 15, fig. 2 (Marianen = Guam); idem (part), Obser. Zool., in Lutké, Voy. "Le Séniavine," 3, 1836, pp. 298, 304 (Guahan).