Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Waller’s Starling
Onychognathus walleri
Waller's Starling (Onychognathus walleri) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Waller’s Starling (Onychognathus walleri) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 93 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 Onychognathus
- Species walleri
Quick facts
- Weight
- 93 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Waller’s Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Waller’s Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Waller’s Starling (Onychognathus walleri) belongs to the Sturnidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF wc, c, e.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 93 g, with a wing length of about 12.3 cm and a tail of around 8.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 308,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Waller’s Starling?
The Waller’s Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 93 g.
Where does the Waller’s Starling live?
The Waller’s Starling is found across Africa with a range covering AF wc, c, e, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Waller’s Starling belong to?
The Waller’s Starling (Onychognathus walleri) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Waller’s Starling eat?
The Waller’s Starling is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Waller’s Starling migrate?
The Waller’s Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Waller’s 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 Waller’s Starling make?
1 real field recording of the Waller’s 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 Waller’s Starling's range?
The Waller’s Starling has a mapped global range of about 308,000 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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