Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Sharpe’s Starling
Pholia sharpii
Sharpe's Starling (Pholia sharpii) — 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 Sharpe’s Starling (Pholia sharpii) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 41 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 Pholia
- Species sharpii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 41 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Sharpe’s Starling is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Sharpe’s Starling is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Sharpe’s Starling (Pholia sharpii) is a member of the Sturnidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF c Ethiopia to e DR Congo and Tanzania.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 41 g, with a wing length of about 10.3 cm and a tail of around 6.4 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 195,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Sharpe’s Starling?
The Sharpe’s Starling is a small bird that weighs around 41 g.
Where does the Sharpe’s Starling live?
The Sharpe’s Starling is found across Africa with a range covering AF c Ethiopia to e DR Congo and Tanzania, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Sharpe’s Starling belong to?
The Sharpe’s Starling (Pholia sharpii) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Sharpe’s Starling eat?
The Sharpe’s Starling is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Sharpe’s Starling migrate?
The Sharpe’s Starling is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Sharpe’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.
How large is the Sharpe’s Starling's range?
The Sharpe’s Starling has a mapped global range of about 195,000 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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