Cape Starling
Lamprotornis nitens
A medium-sized iridescent blue-green glossy starling that lacks dark ear-patches and has greenish flanks and belly, giving it a more uniform appearance than the “blue-eared” starlings. Pairs and small groups occupy high-altitude grassland, Karoo, and savanna, including drier habitats than other glossy starlings. The species feeds on the ground and in trees on fruit and insects; often it scavenges from people. It gives a rolling “turrreaau” flight call and harsh “karrr” alarm notes. Similar “blue-eared” starlings differ from Cape Starling by being smaller and having blue-magenta flanks and belly that give them a less uniform appearance.
Identification
The Cape starling has an adult length of about 25 cm (10 in) and weight of about 100 grams (3.5 oz). The plumage of an adult bird is a fairly uniform bright, glossy colour. The head is blue with darker ear coverts and the upper parts of the body are greenish-blue. It has a lengthy warbling song which may include an imitation of sounds it hears in its environment.
Taxonomy
In 1760, the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the Cape starling in his Ornithologie based on a specimen collected in Angola. He used the French name Le merle verd d'Angola and the Latin Merula Viridis Angolensis. Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. When in 1766, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his Systema Naturae for the twelfth edition, he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson. One of these was the Cape starling. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name Turdus nitens and cited Brisson's work. The specific name nitens is Latin for "shining" or "glittering". This species is now placed in the genus Lamprotornis that was introduced by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1820.
- Scientific name
- Lamprotornis nitens
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Genus
- Lamprotornis
Range and habitat
The Cape starling is found in the southern part of Africa. Its range encompasses the extreme south of Gabon, the west and south of Angola, the extreme south of Zambia, throughout Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and South Africa. It is a vagrant to the Republic of the Congo but does not breed there. In the other countries in its range it is a resident (non-migratory) species and its total extent of occurrence is about 3,000,000 square kilometres (1,200,000 sq mi). The Cape starling is found where trees in which it can roost and nest are found. It is not a bird of dense forest or of pasture and is not associated with any particular plant type. It does occur in open woodland, plantations, savannah, bushveld, rough grassland, parks and gardens and is quite numerous in the central Kalahari where isolated trees occur.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The Cape starling is a gregarious bird and forms large flocks in the non-breeding season. It usually feeds on the ground often foraging alongside other species of starlings such as the pied starling, the common starling, the greater blue-eared starling, the lesser blue-eared starling, the wattled starling and Burchell's starling. It is habituated to humans and its diet includes fruit, insects and nectar. It sometimes feeds on ectoparasites that it picks off the backs of animals and it sometimes visits bird tables for scraps.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Long-tailed, long-legged understory bird with a reddish cap. Found in dry deciduous forest at low elevations in western Madagascar. Sometimes uses degraded forest. Rather shy, and quickly walks away from any disturbance. Most common calls are an explosive, ascending series of whistles and a low-pitched “hoo-hoo-hoo”. Similar to Coquerel’s Coua, but has longer tail and legs, and lacks the rufous belly of Coquerel’s. Smaller than Giant Coua, without its rufous belly and pink facial skin.
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Gray-sided Flowerpecker
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A tiny, stubby, plump dark songbird with a bold red throat in males. Female is nondescript, all gray with a clean white throat. Juveniles resemble female but have a pale-based bill and a green-washed breast. Singles and pairs can be found in lowlands and foothills in a variety of habitats, including forest, forest edge, scrub, and gardens. Male can be separated from male Crimson-crowned Flowerpecker by red throat and lack of red crown. Female Gray-sided differs from female Crimson-crowned in absence of red rump. Song is a thin, high-pitched “see-se-sooo.” Also gives a buzzy “tzjit” note.
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