Hildebrandt's Starling

Lamprotornis hildebrandti

Other Names

    Choucador de Hildebrandt   Hildebrandtglanzstar     Hildebrandts glansstare     Storno di Hildebrandt

World: Africa - endemic to southern Kenya and northern Tanzania.

Kenya: Found between 1000-2000m, although may be seen as low as 600m, in open bush and wooded areas mostly in the S of the country although they do get as far N as Maralal.

Hildebrandt's Starling is often found feeding in mixed flocks with the Superb Starling. While superficially similar to the Superb, the adults can be distinguished by eye colour (red in Hildebrandt's, creamy-white in the Superb) and breast band (the adult Superb has a white band across its chest).

Hildebrandt's Starling is a ground feeder taking beetles and grasshoppers but it will also eat seeds. It feeds in small family groups or pairs. It nests in tree cavities and has 2 breeding periods, March to May and October to December.