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Lesser Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chloropterus)

Lesser Blue-eared Starling

Lamprotornis chloropterus

Least Concern

Overview

The lesser blue-eared starling, also known as the lesser blue-eared glossy-starling, is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It was formally described in 1838 by William Swainson based on a specimen from West Africa.

Habitat

The species is found across a wide range in Africa, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Two subspecies are recognised: L. c. chloropterus in West and East Africa, and L. c. elisabeth in south Kenya to north Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Diet

The lesser blue-eared starling feeds on insects and grains.

Did you know?

During the non-breeding season, this bird forms large roosts consisting of 500 to 1,200 individuals. It is occasionally kept as a pet by humans.

Sources