Principe Starling Lamprotornis ornatus Scientific name definitions

30 cm; 130 g. Large, iridescent starling with medium-length tail. Male has crown, nape and upper mantle glossy bluish-green, back and rump glossy golden-bronze with violet margins of feathers, uppertail-coverts turquoise, tinged with violet; lores blackish, ear-coverts violet, cheek green tipped with turquoise; upperwing with lesser coverts turquoise with violet centres, greater coverts velvety black with violet tips, secondaries and tertials golden-bronze with dark barring, primaries black with turquoise and violet tips and margins, conspicuous notches on inner webs of primaries P6-P9; tail dark bronzy black with some cross-barring, tips of feathers violet and turquoise; chin, throat, breast and belly dark coppery-green, becoming dark glossy green with purplish tinge on flanks and thighs, undertail-coverts deep violet-blue; iris white; bill and legs black. Female resembles male in pattern but less glossy, greener on head and mantle, more blue on rump and tail. Juvenile has some sheen on upperparts, underparts matt grey.

Song of short, disjointed phrases , apparently similar to that of L. splendidus, notes also likened to those of orioles (Oriolus). Probable alarm call a loud caw; musical "tu-ping" may be contact call. Loud swishing wing noise in flight.