Photo: Torwall / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Splendid Starling
Lamprotornis splendidus
Splendid Starling (Lamprotornis splendidus) — 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 Splendid Starling (Lamprotornis splendidus) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 123 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 splendidus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 123 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Splendid 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 Splendid Starling is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Splendid Starling (Lamprotornis splendidus) is a member of the Sturnidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 123 g, with a wing length of about 15.6 cm and a tail of around 12 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 Splendid Starling?
The Splendid Starling is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 123 g.
Where does the Splendid Starling live?
The Splendid Starling is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Splendid Starling belong to?
The Splendid Starling (Lamprotornis splendidus) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Splendid Starling eat?
The Splendid Starling is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Splendid Starling migrate?
The Splendid Starling is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Splendid 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 Splendid Starling make?
1 real field recording of the Splendid Starling can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Splendid Starling's range?
The Splendid 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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Guides for this bird
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