Photo: Peter Wilton / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Golden-breasted Starling
Lamprotornis regius
Golden-breasted Starling (Lamprotornis regius) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Golden-breasted Starling (Lamprotornis regius) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 53.8 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 regius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 53.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Golden-breasted 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 uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Golden-breasted Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Golden-breasted Starling (Lamprotornis regius) belongs to the Sturnidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF Ethiopia and Somalia to n Tanzania.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 53.8 g, with a wing length of about 12.7 cm and a tail of around 19.7 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 1.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Golden-breasted Starling?
The Golden-breasted Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 53.8 g.
Where does the Golden-breasted Starling live?
The Golden-breasted Starling is found across Africa with a range covering AF Ethiopia and Somalia to n Tanzania, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Golden-breasted Starling belong to?
The Golden-breasted Starling (Lamprotornis regius) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Golden-breasted Starling eat?
The Golden-breasted Starling is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Golden-breasted Starling migrate?
The Golden-breasted Starling is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Golden-breasted 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 Golden-breasted Starling make?
1 real field recording of the Golden-breasted 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 Golden-breasted Starling's range?
The Golden-breasted Starling has a mapped global range of about 1.2 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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