2013 Bonanza Bird #14: Superb Starling

July 14, 2013 in Birdorable Bonanza 2013 and Starlings with 5 comments

We're adding new birds each day until we reach our 500th Birdorable species! Today's Bonanza bird is the Superb Starling.

Superb Starlings have striking plumage. You might even call the combination of metallic blue and green with contrasting burnt orange superb!

Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) by Lip Kee (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Superb Starlings live in open or wooded habitats across parts of eastern Africa. They are ominvorous, eating a diet of insects, fruits, and berries. They often forage for food on the ground. These beautiful birds are cooperative breeders. Family groups band together to raise young. Some family groups may have multiple generations and several cousins, aunts, uncles, siblings, and others joining in to help raise young. The family life of the Superb Starling (and some other eastern African species) is remarkable; read more about them in this article from Cornell: The Uncommon Lifestyle of the Superb Starling.

Tomorrow we'll add a tiny species to Birdorable. This little gem is a regular breeder in the United States, but not very well-studied.

Comments

nuthatches are awesome on July 14, 2013 at 11:58 AM wrote:

Buff-bellied Hummingbird!

Louise Warner on February 25, 2017 at 1:13 PM wrote:

buff bill humming bird.

Andrew on November 22, 2018 at 4:00 PM wrote:

sammy the superb starling

Spurwing Plover on May 21, 2022 at 6:50 AM wrote:

He is the better looking of his kind

Spurwing Plover on May 22, 2022 at 9:07 PM wrote:

And he looks superb

Comments with links or HTML will be deleted. Your comment will be published pending approval.

Your name (required)

Your email address (required)

Your email address will not be published

Comment (required)

I agree to receive updates and news from Birdorable

You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy. By clicking submit below, you consent to allow Birdorable to store and process the personal information submitted above to provide you the content requested.

2024 Birdorable Bonanza Bird #4

Meet the Southern Lapwing: A Loud and Colorful Defender

November 21, 2024

Today's new bird is another southern friend, this one native to South America: its the Southern Lapwing! The Southern Lapwing is a striking and charismatic bird found across a wide range in South America, known for its bold appearance and feisty personality. Found in a variety of...

Crane Week 2018: Introduction

March 25, 2018

Join us in the following days as we celebrate all things cranes! It's time for our second ever Crane Week! Our first Crane Week was back in 2015. We chose today to kick off Crane Week because the birds are honored each year in...

Puerto Rico Week

Birding in Paradise: 6 Must-Visit Spots to See Puerto Rico’s Birds

March 26, 2025

We (Arthur & Amy) had the pleasure of visiting Puerto Rico for four short days at the end of February / early March of this year. We aimed to see endemics and enjoy the beautiful island they call Isla del Encanto as we drove all around...

2013 Bonanza Bird #27: African Fish-Eagle

July 27, 2013

Happy Saturday! Today's Bonanza bird is the African Fish-Eagle. African Fish-Eagles are large birds of prey that live in sub-Saharan parts of Africa. They eat a lot of fish (hence the name), but they will also steal prey from other birds or take...

Birdorable Blog