HOOPE STARLING

The hoopoe starling (Fregilupus varius), also known as the Réunion starling or Bourbon
crested starling, was a species of starling that lived on the Mascarene island of Réunion and
became extinct in the 1850s. Réunion Island’s human settlers both hunted the birds and kept
them as pets.

Its closest relatives were the Rodrigues starling (also now extinct) and the Mauritius starling,
which inhabited nearby islands. (All three species are believed to have originated in south-east
Asia.) The earliest known mention of the bird is in a writing from the 17th century. It was long
thought to be related to the hoopoe, which is how it got its name. However, although it bore
some similarities to that bird, a DNA study has confirmed that it was a starling.

Nineteen specimens of the hoopoe starling have been preserved in museums around the world. It
was 30 cm (12 in) in length. Its back, wings and tail were dark brown and grey, and its plumage
was primarily white and grey. It had a light, mobile crest that curled forwards. It is thought to
have been sexually dimorphic: the males were larger and had more steeply curved beaks than the
females. The juveniles were browner than the adults.

Little is known about the hoopoe starling’s behaviour. It reportedly lived in large flocks in
marshes and other humid areas. It was omnivorous: it ate plants and insects. Since its pelvis was
robust, its feet and claws large, and its jaws strong, it probably foraged near the ground.

The hoopoe starling was reported to be in decline by the early 19th century and was probably
extinct before the 1860s. Several factors contributing to its extinction have been proposed,
including competition from introduced species, predation by introduced species, disease,
deforestation, and overhunting by humans, both for food and because it was considered to be a
crop pest.