Cape Starling

Lamprotornis nitens (Linnaeus, 1766)

25 cmLength86 gWeight

The Cape starling (Lamprotornis nitens), also known as red-shouldered glossy-starling or Cape glossy starling, is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae.

Busiest months: October–November · Most records: South Africa, Namibia, Botswana

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Cape Starling has been recorded at 150 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 9 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Rietvlei NRSouth Africa854 records
Etosha NP – Halali CampNamibia681 records
Mkhuze GRSouth Africa632 records

More places

Zaagkuildrift RdSouth Africa628 records
Etosha NP – Okaukuejo CampNamibia611 records
Kruger NP – Skukuza CampSouth Africa555 records
Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa497 records
Ondudu LodgeNamibia391 records
Benfontein NRSouth Africa388 records
Kruger NP – Berg-en-Dal CampSouth Africa369 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South Africa Namibia Botswana Eswatini Zimbabwe Angola Mozambique Spain

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Cape starling (Lamprotornis nitens), also known as red-shouldered glossy-starling or Cape glossy starling, is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in Southern Africa, where it lives in woodlands, bushveld and in suburbs.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Cape Starling?

The Cape Starling is about 25 cm long and weighs around 86 g.

Where does the Cape Starling live?

Its breeding range: Africa: western DR Congo through western, southern Angola to Namibia, Botswana, southern Zimbabawe, southern Mozambique and northern, eastern South Africa. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

When is the best time to see the Cape Starling?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October and November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Cape Starling endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Cape Starling as Least Concern.

What does the Cape Starling eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Cape Starling in?

It belongs to the family Starlings, Rhabdornises (Sturnidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length: 25 cm
Weight: 86 g
Habitat: Grassland
Diet: Omnivore
Lifestyle: Perches in trees
Migration: Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 118 mm
Tail: 80 mm
Bill: 22 mm
Tarsus: 32 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: western DR Congo through western, southern Angola to Namibia, Botswana, southern Zimbabawe, southern Mozambique and northern, eastern South Africa

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2