Shelley's Starling (Lamprotornis shelleyi)
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Shelley's Starling

Lamprotornis shelleyi (Sharpe, 1890)

45 gWeight

Shelley's starling (Lamprotornis shelleyi) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae.

Busiest months: February and November · Most records: Ethiopia, Kenya

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Shelley's Starling has been recorded at 15 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Yabello areaEthiopia90 records
  2. Tsavo West NPKenya10 records
  3. Tsavo East NPKenya4 records
More places
  1. Abidjatta-Shalla NPEthiopia2 records
  2. Wondo GenetEthiopia2 records
  3. Lake Awassa – United Africa Shebelle Hotel areaEthiopia2 records
  4. Sagala Lodge/Ndara RanchKenya2 records
  5. Meru NPKenya2 records
  6. Tsavo East NP – Southern SectionKenya2 records
  7. Lake Basaka – north shoreEthiopia1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

EthiopiaKenya

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

Shelley's starling (Lamprotornis shelleyi) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is found in East Africa, within the borders of Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Somaliland, South Sudan, and Tanzania.

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

Questions

How big is the Shelley's Starling?

The Shelley's Starling weighs around 45 g.

Where does the Shelley's Starling live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Ethiopia and Somalia to northern Kenya and southeastern South Sudan. It is most often recorded in Ethiopia and Kenya.

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

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

Is the Shelley's Starling endangered?

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

What does the Shelley's Starling eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Shelley's Starling in?

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

At a glance

Weight
45 g
Habitat
Shrubland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Migratory
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
112 mm
Tail
74 mm
Bill
19 mm
Tarsus
29 mm

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

Range

Africa: Ethiopia and Somalia to northern Kenya and southeastern South Sudan

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
Shelley's Starling

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Asrat Ayalew Gella. ↗

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