Cape Starling
Lamprotornis nitens
Also known as: Red-Shouldered Glossy-Starling, Cape Glossy Starling
Habitat
Ground
Diet
Omnivore
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
86 g
About This Species
A common and gregarious starling across southern Africa, it forages on the ground in gardens, savanna, and farmland, often in noisy flocks that probe short grass for insects. Its glossy blue-green plumage flashes iridescent in direct sunlight, making early morning or late afternoon light the best time to appreciate its colours. It readily visits bird feeders and open lawns, so suburban gardens and reserves alike offer reliable sightings year-round.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- This is a common, adaptable species that tolerates people well, so ordinary birdwatching distances of a few metres with binoculars are generally sufficient without causing stress.
- General wildlife protection laws still apply across its southern African range and vary by country, so avoid handling, feeding by hand, or disturbing any nest site you come across.
- Give more space around any bird obviously guarding a nest hole or feeding young.
LCAvesPasseriformesSturnidae
Seasonal Activity
289,044 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Sturnidae
Traits
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 86 g
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.