Photo: flowcomm / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Greater Blue-eared Starling
Lamprotornis chalybaeus
Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 86.2 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Sturnidae Starlings, Rhabdornises
- Genus Lamprotornis
- Species chalybaeus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 86.2 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Greater Blue-eared Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Greater Blue-eared Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus) is a member of the Sturnidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 86.2 g, with a wing length of about 13.8 cm and a tail of around 9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Greater Blue-eared Starling?
The Greater Blue-eared Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 86.2 g.
Where does the Greater Blue-eared Starling live?
The Greater Blue-eared Starling is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Greater Blue-eared Starling belong to?
The Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Greater Blue-eared Starling eat?
The Greater Blue-eared Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Greater Blue-eared Starling migrate?
The Greater Blue-eared Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Greater Blue-eared Starling endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Greater Blue-eared Starling make?
1 real field recording of the Greater Blue-eared Starling — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Greater Blue-eared Starling's range?
The Greater Blue-eared Starling has a mapped global range of about 7.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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