Superb starling
Lamptotornis superbus
The superb starling is a small but distinctive bird, with metallic greens and blues on its chest, back and wings. They are fearless of man and, because of this, they are often found near villages and towns.
Courtship behaviour involves small jumps on the ground, trailing wings and neck outstretched. Breeding season varies and usually four green/blue eggs are laid in a nest of grass and twigs, lined with feathers low in a thorny bush or tree or in a cliff hollow.
Male and females share responsibility for nest building, incubation, and feeding of young. The average superb starling can be up to 19 centimetres long and it can weigh up to 80 grams.
IUCN red list status
The IUCN status of the superb starling is least concern.
For more information on classifications visit www.iucnredlist.org.
Animal class
Bird
Conservation status
The IUCN considers the superb starling not to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Habitat
Forest
Population
It is unknown how many superb starlets there are in the wild.
Diet
Insectivore. The superb startling eats insects and other invertebrates along with seeds and fruit.