Rosy Starling (Pastor roseus) makes brief pit stop in Delhi, on way north

From the archive record

Rosy Pastors make a crowded stopover in Delhi, in large hordes, on their way north, in spring-summer, as they exit the Indian subcontinent and head to cooler climes for breeding. The Rosy Starlings are used in China to eliminate the locusts which are considered crop pests. Artificial nests are built to attract the starlings, and today, the locusts’ populations are insufficient to feed the birds. That involves large decrease of insecticide use and a greatly successful plan. Adult male in breeding plumage has black head, neck, throat and upper breast. The head shows elongated feathers on the nape, forming an erectile crest. On the upper parts, back and rump are glossy pink. Wings are blackish-brown with glossy green secondaries. The upper tail is blackish-brown too, with green iridescence. O