Golden-breasted Starling
McCormick Bird House
Did You Know?
- Unlike most starling species, the diet of golden-breasted starlings consists almost entirely of insects. They feed by catching insects mid-flight and digging up termite mounds.
- Golden-breasted starlings are named for the bright yellow feathers on their belly and upper tail. This color is considered unique to perching birds from Africa.
- These birds are cooperative breeders, with groups working together to build nests, gather food, and care for young.
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Overview
Scientific Name: Cosmopsarus regius
Class: Birds
Diet: Insects (also fruit)
Range: Northeast Africa
Endangered Status: Least Concern
More Information
Golden-breasted starlings have a green head with yellow eyes and a hooked black beak. They are otherwise metallic blue with a yellow breast. They are slender with long bills and long, graduated tails. They prefer dry bush or thorn bush habitats.
These are noisy, social birds that live in family groups of up to eight individuals. They bred from March to May and November to December. Females lay two to six eggs per clutch and incubate them for two weeks. Chicks fledge around 20 days after hatching and parents care for young for about four weeks. They become mature after a year.
