Lamprotornis purpureus
The Purple Starling, or Purple Glossy Starling, is a dazzling medium-sized passerine, typically measuring 22-26 cm (9-10 inches) in length and weighing 50-70 grams. Its plumage is a spectacular, uniformly deep iridescent purple, often with subtle blue or green sheens on the wings and tail, especially in certain lights, making it a true jewel of the avian world. A striking feature is its bright yellow-orange eye, which contrasts sharply with its dark head, complemented by a sturdy black bill a...
This adaptable starling primarily inhabits savannas, open woodlands, forest edges, and cultivated areas, often near human settlements. It generally prefers lowland to mid-elevation regions within its range.
Purple Starlings are omnivorous, feeding primarily on a wide variety of insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and termites, supplemented significantly by fruits, berries, and occasionally nectar. They mostly forage on the ground or in low vegetation.
Purple Starlings are highly social and diurnal birds, often observed foraging in small groups, which can coalesce into much larger flocks outside the breeding season, sometimes numbering in the hundreds or even thousands at communal roost sites. Their foraging strategy primarily involves gleaning...
The Purple Starling boasts an extensive range across West and Central Africa, primarily as a resident species with some local, food-driven movements. Its distribution stretches from Senegal and Gambia in the west, eastward through Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, ...
Least Concern
- The stunning iridescent purple of the Purple Starling's feathers is not due to pigments, but rather to the microscopic structure of the feathers, which refracts light like tiny prisms. This is called structural coloration. - Despite its name, the Purple Starling is not closely related to the Eu...