Superb starling
Physical features
These birds are 6 inches long.
Their plumage is mostly metallic or iridescent, a trait shared by many starling species.
Superb starlings have very strong muscles attached to their beaks. They forage by probing their beaks into the substrate and then using those muscles to open their beak, thereby creating a more open area in the substrate in which to search for food.
They are excellent flyers, being both quick and adept at mid-air maneuvering. Entire flocks can twist and turn as a unit.
They are not sexually dimorphic; males and females look alike.
Range and Habitat
Range – Northeast Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania, and Sudan), primarily in national parks and reserves of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem
Habitat – woodlands, scrublands, acacia country, and often near human habitation
Diet
Wild – Various arthropods (such as worms and crustaceans), fruit, and grains
Zoo – Insects, fruit, and softbill diet (a manufactured diet specially formulated for fruit- and insect-eating birds)
Lifespan
Wild – unknown
Zoo – 15 years
Reproduction
These birds are monogamous for the season.
Courting displays consist of jumping on the ground, stretching the neck out, and trailing the wings behind them.
They roost in thorny bushes or in the cavities of trees or cliffs. Both sexes help create a nest of grasses, leaves, and twigs before lining it with feathers.
A clutch consists of 4 eggs.
Incubation: 13 days (Both parents take turns incubating.)
Fledging: 3 weeks
Conservation: Least Concern
Major threats: Few at this time
Superb starling populations are thought to be stable.
Interpretive Information
Starlings are incredible mimics and exhibit a wide variety of vocalizations. Since bird song can serve as a way to announce one’s territory, it is thought that mimicking other species allows a bird to “claim” more territory and keep more neighboring birds out.
Starlings engage in a behavior called mobbing, meaning the group will work together to keep outsiders or predators away.
These birds are quite gregarious and are often found in large groups, even in human areas. They do not seem bothered by human presence.
References
Zimmerman, D. A., Turner, D. A., & Pearson, D. J. (1996). Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania (pp. 633). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Lee Richardson Zoo (2004). Superb Starling. Retrieved November 10, 2004, from: http://www.garden-city.org/zoo/animalinfo/superb_starling.htm
Chaffee Zoo (2004). Starlings. Retrieved November 10, 2004, from: http://www.chaffeezoo.org/animals/starlings.html
Updated November 2004