Hildebrandt's Starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti)
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Hildebrandt's Starling

Lamprotornis hildebrandti (Cabanis, 1878)

18 cmLength56 gWeight

Hildebrandt's starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae.

Busiest months: February · Most records: Tanzania, Kenya

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Hildebrandt's Starling has been recorded at 68 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Nairobi NPKenya682 records
  2. Serengeti NPTanzania597 records
  3. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ngorongoro CraterTanzania493 records
More places
  1. Serengeti NP – SeroneraTanzania422 records
  2. Serengeti NP – Naabi Hill GateTanzania337 records
  3. Tarangire NPTanzania329 records
  4. Maasai Mara NRKenya288 records
  5. Amboseli NPKenya288 records
  6. Mpala Ranch and Research CentreKenya258 records
  7. Ngorongoro Conservation Area – Ndutu Safari LodgeTanzania229 records

Countries and regions with the most records

TanzaniaKenya

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

Hildebrandt's starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It forms a superspecies with and has previously been included in the same species as Shelley's starling, a migratory species ranging from Ethiopia and Somalia to Kenya. Both of these species have also been combined into a superspecies with the chestnut-bellied starling of West Africa.

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

Questions

How big is the Hildebrandt's Starling?

The Hildebrandt's Starling is about 18 cm long and weighs around 56 g.

Where does the Hildebrandt's Starling live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Kenya and Tanzania. It is most often recorded in Tanzania and Kenya.

When is the best time to see the Hildebrandt's Starling?

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

Is the Hildebrandt's Starling endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Hildebrandt's Starling as Least Concern.

What does the Hildebrandt's Starling eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Hildebrandt's Starling in?

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

At a glance

Length
18 cm
Weight
56 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
112 mm
Tail
71 mm
Bill
21 mm
Tarsus
31 mm

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

Range

Africa: Kenya and Tanzania

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Starlings, Rhabdornises Sturnidae
Genus
Lamprotornis

Other birds in the genus Lamprotornis

Cape StarlingCape StarlingLamprotornis nitensGreater Blue-eared StarlingGreater Blue-eared StarlingLamprotornis chalybaeusLesser Blue-eared StarlingLesser Blue-eared StarlingLamprotornis chloropterusBronze-tailed StarlingBronze-tailed StarlingLamprotornis chalcurusSplendid StarlingSplendid StarlingLamprotornis splendidusPrincipe StarlingPrincipe StarlingLamprotornis ornatusEmerald StarlingEmerald StarlingLamprotornis irisPurple StarlingPurple StarlingLamprotornis purpureusRüppell's StarlingRüppell's StarlingLamprotornis purpuropteraLong-tailed Glossy StarlingLong-tailed Glossy StarlingLamprotornis caudatusGolden-breasted StarlingGolden-breasted StarlingLamprotornis regiusMeves's StarlingMeves's StarlingLamprotornis mevesii
Hildebrandt's Starling

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Jean-Paul Boerekamps. ↗

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