The golden-breasted starling has
been called the most beautiful starling in the world. The golden-breasted starling (Lamprotornis
regius) is a medium-sized, up to 35 cm long, passerine in the starling family.
The Golden Breasted Starling is also known as royal starling and a social
animal, living in groups of 3 to 12 individuals. The bird diet comprises mostly
of insects and termites and some fruit of Commiphora and Dobera, though adult birds catch insects in flight and
dig up termite mounds to find prey. They spend most of their time on the
ground, running or hopping in their hunt for insects. To catch termites, they
use rapid flicks of the bill to dig down to their tunnels. When disturbed, they
will fly to the next bush. They infrequently fly above three metres.
The golden-breasted starling
molts once a year, after the breeding season. The female usually lays between 3
to 5 pale green color eggs with red speckles. The birds habitually make nests in tree holes
which are made from leaves, roots, straw and other vegetation. Moreover the
whole family groups cooperate in raising young by gathering food and nesting
materials. The bird likes the rainy season for breeding, i.e. March to May and
November to December. Therefore, during the hotter daylight hours, golden-breasted
starlings will chatter away in a subdued voice with their mates. Their flight
or contact call is cheeo cheeo. When signaling danger, they use chiar chiar.
The stunning golden-breasted
starling is widely distributed in the grassland, savannah and shrub-land of
East Africa, from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and northern Tanzania. Furthermore,
this species and L. unicolor sometimes placed in a separate genus, appears
inseparable from birds in rest of species' range. Moreover, just like all
starling species, golden-breasted starlings are highly social birds, noisy and
garrulous when together. They gather in pairs or groups of up to a dozen.
Though, during breeding season, group members assist with nest building and
feeding.
The both sexes are similar; however
the young are duller than the adult. The adult bird has a metallic green head
and upper back, bright golden yellow breast and belly, dark bill and legs,
white iris and metallic violet blue on wings, back, neck and its long tail
feathers. The global population size has not been quantified, but the species
is described as locally common. The population trend appears to be stable, and
it is widespread throughout its habitat range; hence does not approach the
thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion. The bird is evaluated
as being of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Unluckily
due to its stunning colorations makes it easy for the wild bird trade to create
a market for it. So, “Cosmopsarus regius” populations have come under pressure
in some areas due to large-scale capturing.
The bird tail is 60% of bird
length would usually be its main feature, however starling coloration and vivid
golden yellow covers the rest of the underparts including the thighs and under-tail
coverts. Legs are black. This species is also known as the superb starling. Source: Charismatic Planet
