Bali Starling
Bali starlings are about the same size as the common starlings seen around Australian cities. They are pure white apart from black tipped wings and tail feathers, and beautiful blue skin around the eyes. A drooping crest of white feathers crowns the bird’s head.
Their beautiful plumage together with its pleasant call and rarity made it a prestigious target for the cage bird trade. Today, due to trapping, only a handful are to be found in protected areas in Bali.
They are known in Indonesia as Jalak Bali, and the only species of bird that is found in Bali and nowhere else.
OUR PROJECT
RARES supports the Begawan Foundation in Bali in their work with the Critically Endangered Bali starling, black-winged starling and Mitchell’s lorikeet. The Begawan Foundation maintains a breeding facility for these birds near Ubud and has been attempting to establish a wild population of the Bali starling in the same region.
RARES funds the annual salary of a bird keeper at the foundation. This assists the Foundation to maintain their breeding program and release program.
The Begawan Foundation community engagement program is important in maintaining support for the breeding and release of the birds. As part of that program they run classes for locals to improve their employment opportunities. RARES has supported these programs by providing a second-hand laptop for the classes.