Wattled Starling

Creatophora cinerea

Other Pics: Non-breeeding Wattled Starling

Other Names

    Étourneau caronculé   Lappenstar   Estornino Carunculado   Flikstare     Storno caruncolato

World: Africa, widespread S of 15°S, although absent from the arid regions of the SW.

Kenya: Present across most of the country although most abundant in the Rift Valley

Often associated with large mammals, these insectivorous birds travel in large flocks. Their presence in any particular area is dependant on the insect population (as is their breeding pattern).

The pictures above show a male (left) coming into full breeding pluamge. It has lost much of the feathering on the top of its head and the broad yellow post-ocular patch (extending almost to the hindcrown) is clearly visible. The black facial wattles are just starting to develop. The non-breeding male, pictured right, shows a very small bare ocular patch with the bare yellow facial skin just about visible. This is very similar to the plumage of the breeding female although, as in the picture above, the male shows some white on the wing coverts.

Although highly distinctive in full breeding plumage, at other times these starlings can be confused with Fischer's. The eye is the tell-tale distinguishing mark, in the Wattled Starling it's dark while in Fischer's it's white