Hoopoe starling (SciiFii)

The hoopoe starling (Fregilupus varius), also known as the Réunion starling and the Bourbon crested starling, is a species of starling that is endemic on the Mascarene island of Réunion. The hoopoe starling was once extinct since the 1850s, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced to Réunion. The hoopoe starling is 30 centimeters (12 inchee) in length. Its plumage is primarily white and grey, with its back, wings and tail a darker brown and grey. It has a light, mobile crest, which curls forwards. The bird is sexually dimorphic, with males larger and having more curved beaks. The juveniles are more brown than the adults. Living in large flocks, it inhabits humid areas and marshes. The hoopoe starling is omnivorous, feeding on plant matter and insects. Its pelvis is robust, its feet and claws large, and its jaws strong, as it forages near the ground. The conservation status of the hoopoe starling is Vulnerable due to some habitat loss, as well as historic human hunting and invasive predators such as feral cats, however, thanks to the conservationists, the invasive predators have been eradicated and the hoopoe starling is a protected species.