This is the only confirmed photograph of both sexes of the endemic species I got during my visit, as this is a couple (both sexes look the same, opposed to the Somali starling (Onychognathus blythii) where the female has a grey upper body), and I heard their mellow one-note vocalization, which resembles that of the Eurasian bullfinch.
They are sitting on the most famous of all plants of Socotra – the dragon blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari) – looking for fruit, which during my visit was scarce when seen from the ground (my perspective). But from the bird’s perspective these trees held plenty of fruit clusters to feed them for several months.
Last updated on 30 January 2022
