Neumann's starling or Neumann's red-winged starling, is a bird native to Africa. This starling breeds on rocky cliffs, outcrops and gorges mainly in the Sahel from Mauritania and Equatorial Guinea to western Sudan. Its English and binomial names commemorate German ornithologist Oscar Rudolph Neumann.
Region
Sahel and adjacent West Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs along rocky cliffs, outcrops, and gorges across the Sahel from Mauritania and Mali through Burkina Faso, Niger, northern Nigeria, and Cameroon to Chad and western Sudan. It favors arid to semi-arid savanna mosaics where vertical rock faces provide nesting sites. Birds commonly range between cliffs and nearby open country, fields, and river valleys. They will also visit villages and cultivated areas to forage.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Arid
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
Neumann's starling, also called Neumann's red-winged starling, is a cliff-breeding bird of the Sahel whose chestnut wing panels flash vividly in flight. It is named for the German ornithologist Oscar Rudolph Neumann. Pairs often nest in crevices on rocky escarpments and may form loose colonies. Outside the breeding season it gathers in small flocks that roam between cliffs, gorges, and nearby savannas.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
strong flier with direct, purposeful flight and intermittent glides near cliffs
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small groups, sometimes forming loose colonies on suitable cliff systems. Nests in crevices or holes in rock faces, often reusing sites for multiple seasons. Likely monogamous, with both sexes participating in nest defense and feeding.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Varied whistles and metallic chattering notes, often delivered from exposed perches on cliff edges. Calls include sharp contact notes used to keep groups coordinated in flight.
