Purple Starling

Alternative name: Purple Starling

Lamprotornis purpureus

Photo by Steve G
Kairaba Hotel, Kololi, The Gambia, March 2005

Identification

22-23cm
Adult

• Metallic purple head and body
• Glossy green wings
• Short tail
• Yellow eye
  

Sexes are similar
Juveniles are much duller, with grey underparts and a brown iris.

Distribution

Africa:
Western Africa: Senegambia, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Kenya, Uganda

Taxonomy

Subspecies^[1]

There are two subspecies:

• L. p. purpureus

• Senegal to Cameroon

• L. p. amethystinus

• Cameroon to Kenya

Habitat

Savannah woodlands, especially with fruiting figs. Open woodland and cultivation.

Behaviour

This is a gregarious and noisy bird, with typical starling squeaks and chattering.

Diet

The diet includes fruit and insects.

Breeding

The Purple Starling builds a nest in hole. The normal clutch is two eggs.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Avibase
3. Animal Pictures Archive
4. BF Member observations

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Purple Starling. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Purple_Starling

External Links

Search for photos of Purple Starling in the gallery

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