Superb or Brilliant Starlings

The Superb Starlings (Lamprotornis superbus) are commonly found in East Africa, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.

Description

The Superb Starlings measure about 7 – 7.5 inches (18 – 19 cm) in length – including the tail.

Adults have blackheads and glossy blue-to-green backs, upper breasts, wings, and tails. The chest is blue followed by a white bar and below the abdomen is red-orange. The undertail coverts (feathers) and the wing linings are white.

The juvenile plumage is duller plumage, with a less well-defined white band below the chest. The eyes are initially brown, then turn greyish white until they reach the adult coloration of cream-colored eyes.

Calls / Vocalizations

The Superb Starlings calls are described as long and loud consisting of various trills and chatters, including a shrill, screeching skerrrreeee-cherrrroo-tcherreeeeeet.”. At midday, their songs are softer repeated phrases.

Diet / Feeding

These starlings feed on various fruits and plant matter; as well as insects.

Superb Starling
Superb or Brillian Starling
Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus)
Superb Starling
 
 
 
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Gordon Ramel

Gordon is an ecologist with two degrees from Exeter University. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. Oh - and he wrote this website.

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