the long-tailed glossy starling is a distinct member of the starling family native to tropical africa, typically living in open woodland. like other starlings, they are omnivorous and feed mainly on fruit and insects. the sexes are similar, both featuring brightly colored iridescent plumage, but juveniles have duller, more brown plumage.
(x)
i really like shiny versions of birds people usually associate with being drab – like for example:
green junglefowl
asian glossy starling
ocellated turkey
mikado’s pheasant
nicobar pigeon
(x)
hildebrant’s starling is a species of starling native to east africa, known for the glossy iridescent plumage found in both the male and female.
(x)
male violet-backed starlings are easy to tell apart from the female, as the female’s brown color is a far reach from the male’s shimmering iridescent purple upperside. violet-backed starlings are a small species of starling native to africa.
(x)
the greater blue-eared starling is a large species of starling native to africa. unlike some other starlings, males and females share the same iridescent blue-green plumage.
(x)
the violet-backed starling is a member of the starling family, native to africa. males’ uppersides are iridescent, displaying as deep purple or pinkish purple depending on the light.
(x)
while european starlings typically stay in a flock throughout the year, in the winter flocks combine to form murmurations, groups of birds that can number in the thousands. there are several reasons for this, including making it difficult for predators to attack & grouping together for warmth.
(x)
a male violet-backed starling perches on a flower. violet-backed starlings are known for their iridescent plumage, seen only in the male.
(x)
though the females of the species are brown and are often described as drab, the male violet-backed starling has stunning plumage. the upperside of the bird’s body is an iridescent people that can present as either dark or purplish-pink depending on the light. the violet-backed starling is a relatively small species of starling and is native to africa.
(x)
today's bird 