Splendid Starling Lamprotornis splendidus Scientific name definitions

28 cm; 111–155 g. Large glossy starling with brilliant iridescence, medium-length tail . Male nominate race has crown glossy blue-green, sharply demarcated from glossy green nape and mantle; back iridescent blue, tinged with purple, rump glossy blue-green, some barring on tips of uppertail-coverts; wing glossy green, wing-coverts with large subterminal blue spots and blue tips, secondaries and tertials have blue tips and dark purple outer webs, primaries P6-P9 have large notch on inner vane; tail feathers purple at base, broad terminal band of blue-green; small triangular golden-bronze patch between ear-coverts and throat; chin, throat , breast and upper belly purple with bronze sheen, passing into violet on flanks; thighs purple, lower belly and undertail-coverts iridescent blue; iris yellowish-white; bill and legs black. Female resembles male in pattern, but duller, with crown green, not contrasting with nape, no purple gloss and blue wash on back, bronze on underparts restricted to centre of belly, purple below partly replaced by blue. Juvenile initially has gloss only on wing and tail feathers, with belly matt grey, iris brown. Race lessoni is like nominate but larger; <em>chrysonotis</em> has green crown and blue (rather than purple) throat ; bailundensis has crown, nape and back uniformly green, and blue (not green) lesser wing-coverts.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Song loud, sounding (to human ear) strongly discordant, containing various gurgling, creaking and plopping sounds, including imitations of other bird species and of primates. Birds often sing in chorus from large trees during hottest period of day, also at roosts. Harsh alarm calls , ringing flight calls also reported. Captives produced accurate mimicry of human voice. Also loud wing noise in flight, has been likened to sound of distant churning of a stern-wheel steamer.