Lamprotornis chalcurus
The Bronze-tailed Starling, Lamprotornis chalcurus, is a resplendent medium-sized passerine, typically measuring 20-23 cm (8-9 inches) in length and weighing 50-70 grams. Its plumage is a kaleidoscope of iridescent metallic greens, bronze, and purplish-blue, with the namesake tail exhibiting a distinct metallic bronze-green sheen that can shift to purple or blue depending on the light. A striking feature for identification is its bright white or pale yellow iris, contrasting sharply with its ...
Found in a variety of wooded habitats including open woodlands, savanna edges, gallery forests, and secondary growth, typically at elevations up to 1800 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on beetles, ants, termites, and caterpillars, supplemented by a significant intake of fruits such as figs and berries.
Bronze-tailed Starlings are predominantly arboreal, often seen foraging and perching high in trees. They typically occur in pairs or small family groups, occasionally forming larger flocks of up to 30 individuals outside the breeding season, sometimes joining mixed-species foraging parties. Their...
The Bronze-tailed Starling boasts a widespread distribution across West and Central Africa, extending from Senegal and Gambia in the west, eastward through Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. Its range continues into Cameroon, the Central Af...
Least Concern
- The dazzling iridescence of the Bronze-tailed Starling's plumage is not due to pigment but to the microscopic structure of its feathers, which reflects light in specific ways. - Its distinctive bronze-green tail can appear purplish-blue in certain lighting conditions, leading to its common name...