Superb Starling

Lamprotornis superbus

Other Names

    Choucador superbe, Spréo superbe, Étourneau métallique superbe   Dreifarben-Glanzstar   Mirlo soberbio   Praktstare   Driekleur Glansspreeuw   Storno superbo

World: NE Africa from se Sudan eastwards through Ethiopia to Somalia and south to Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Kenya: Widespread and very common throughout Kenya except for the coastal strip south of Malindi and the humid areas of the West.

A very common bird, the only way to avoid seeing it in Kenya is to keep your eyes permanently closed. In suitable areas it's quite often seen in company with the less common Hildebrandt's Starling. It's quite easy to miss the Hildebrandt's because of the considerable similarity between the two birds. The Superb Starling differs from Hildebrandt's in having white, not red, eyes and a white breast-band. The colour and markings can be, or seem to be, quite variable. In some lights the entire head, back and wings can seem to be a glossy blue with no markings at all.