The superb starling is a member of the starling family of birds. It was formerly known as Spreo superbus. They are long-lived birds that can live over 15 years in captivity.
Region
East Africa
Typical Environment
Found widely from southern Ethiopia and Somalia through Kenya and Uganda to northern Tanzania and South Sudan. It occupies open savanna, thornbush, acacia woodlands, pastures, and agricultural mosaics. The species readily uses towns, gardens, and lodge grounds, often near water and scattered trees. It favors edges and open ground for foraging while nesting in cavities or dense thorny shrubs.
Altitude Range
0–2500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 3/5
Also known as Spreo superbus in older literature, the superb starling is a striking, human-tolerant bird common across East Africa. It often forages boldly around lodges and markets and is a cooperative breeder with helpers assisting at the nest. Individuals can live well over 15 years in captivity. Its pale eyes and crisp white breast band make it easy to identify even at a distance.
The striking colors of an adult Lamprotornis superbus
Juvenile Plumage of a Superb Starling
Habitat of superb starlings in Western Serengeti
Superb starling feeding on larva
A family at Wilhelma Zoo, Stuttgart, Germany. The paler coloured juvenile is in between the two adults.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
direct flight with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Occurs in noisy flocks and family groups, often engaging in cooperative breeding with helpers assisting in feeding chicks. Nests are placed in cavities, thorny shrubs, or man-made structures, lined with grass and feathers. Pairs maintain small territories around nest sites but forage communally.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A varied mix of whistles, chatters, and metallic notes delivered from perches and during social interactions. Calls are loud and conspicuous, with scolding chatter given in flocks.
Plumage
Glossy metallic blue-green head, back, and breast with a crisp white breast band and rich rufous-orange belly; black wings with iridescent coverts and a white vent.
Diet
Feeds on insects such as beetles, termites, and grasshoppers, along with spiders and other invertebrates. Also consumes fruits and berries, nectar, and seeds. Around human settlements it readily takes scraps and forages for dropped food.
Preferred Environment
Typically forages on the ground in open savanna, grazed lawns, road verges, and around markets and picnic areas. Uses low shrubs and trees as lookout perches, dropping to the ground to glean prey.
