About the Pied Starling
The pied starling or African pied starling is a bird endemic to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. It is common in most of its range, but largely absent from the arid northwest and the eastern lowlands of South Africa. It is found in open habitats such as grassland, karoo scrub, thornbush and agricultural land, and often associates with farm animals.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The adult of this 27–28 cm (11 in) long starling has mainly dully glossed black plumage except for a white lower belly and undertail. It has a white iris and yellow lower mandible. The sexes are alike, but the juvenile has unglossed plumage, a brown iris and a dull yellow lower mandible. There are no subspecies. This species has a number of calls, but the most familiar is a skeer kerrra kerrra. There is also a soft warbling song.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Greater Blue-eared StarlingLamprotornis chalybaeusThe greater blue-eared starling is a 22 cm long, short tailed bird.
Burchell's StarlingLamprotornis australisBurchell's starling or Burchell's glossy-starling is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae.
Superb StarlingLamprotornis superbusThis species is 18 to 19 cm (7.1 to 7.5 in) in height.
Side by side: Cape Starling vs Pied Starling · Pied Starling vs Rosy Starling
Learn the Pied Starling for real
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