Superb Starling

Lamprotornis superbus

Description:

The superb starling is striking with its black head and iridescent blue-to-green back, upper breast, wings, and tail. It has a bright red-orange belly and a white-chest bar. The vent and the wing linings are white. The eyes are cream-coloured. Common in East Africa, superb nevertheless.

Habitat:

Open scrub and woodlands, mostly nelow 2200 m. Distribution: Endemic to North East Africa, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Spotted here in the Masai Mara.

Notes:

This bird is commonly found on the ground where it feeds. The white vent, white chest and white eye help differentiate this bird from Shelley’s and Hildebrandt’s starlings.

Species ID Suggestions

35 Comments (1–25)

pamsai 9 years ago

Oh gorgeous Daniele...
I have created a Mission for East Africa and cordially invite you to add you Masai Mara photos to this new mission.
http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/4028...

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Thank you for your comment Chief RedEarth!

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Thanks MaithiliSave!

MaithiliSave 11 years ago

beautiful!!

DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thank you NelsonMena!

DanielePralong 12 years ago

Thanks for your comments WilliamCrain and KarenSaxton! Karen I'd agree with you, even though they're common I didn't see that many, more like one or two a day, usually feeding on the ground.

KarenSaxton 12 years ago

When I was there I rarely saw more than half a dozen at a time - and that was at the Lodges' feeders. I couldn't agree more with you about the common starling that we have in such proliferation

Darwin26 12 years ago

i'd gladly trade this Superb Starling for the European Starling that invades and infests North American.
It's beauty would more than make up for the harm i'm sure. Though i don't know if it flocks in thousands and unnerves the Bird Feeders ~ perhaps they don't have such a nut as Bird Feeders' in East Africa.