To better understand the physiological characteristics of the silky starling (
Sturnus sericeus
), its body temperature (
Tb), basal metabolic rate (
BMR), evaporative water loss (
EWL) and thermal conductance (
C) elicited by different ambient temperatures (
Ta) (5-30℃) were determined in the present study. Our results showed that they have a high
Tb (41.6±0.1℃), a wide thermal neutral zone (
TNZ) (20-27.5℃) and a relatively low
BMR within the
TNZ (3.37±0.17 mL O
2/g·h). The
EWL was nearly stable below the
TNZ (0.91±0.07 mg H
2O/g·h) but increased remarkably within and above the
TNZ. The
C was constant below the
TNZ, with a minimum value of 0.14±0.01 mL O
2/g·h·℃. These findings indicate that the
BMR,
Tb and
EWL of the silky starling were all affected by
Ta, especially when
Ta was below 20℃ and the
EWL plays an important role in thermal regulation.