Photo: ChriKo / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chestnut-bellied Starling
Lamprotornis pulcher
Chestnut-bellied Starling (Lamprotornis pulcher) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
The Chestnut-bellied Starling (Lamprotornis pulcher) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 67.3 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 pulcher
Quick facts
- Weight
- 67.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chestnut-bellied Starling is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Chestnut-bellied Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Chestnut-bellied Starling (Lamprotornis pulcher) is a species of bird in the Sturnidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia to Sudan, Eritrea and n Ethiopia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 67.3 g, with a wing length of about 11.3 cm and a tail of around 6.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 3.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chestnut-bellied Starling?
The Chestnut-bellied Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 67.3 g.
Where does the Chestnut-bellied Starling live?
The Chestnut-bellied Starling is found across Africa with a range covering AF Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia to Sudan, Eritrea and n Ethiopia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Chestnut-bellied Starling belong to?
The Chestnut-bellied Starling (Lamprotornis pulcher) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Chestnut-bellied Starling eat?
The Chestnut-bellied Starling is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Chestnut-bellied Starling migrate?
The Chestnut-bellied Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Chestnut-bellied 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 Chestnut-bellied Starling make?
1 real field recording of the Chestnut-bellied Starling — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Chestnut-bellied Starling's range?
The Chestnut-bellied Starling has a mapped global range of about 3.9 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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