These birds are one of the most colorful members of the Sturnidae family.
This species is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa from Mauritania and Senegal south to Ethiopia and south through East Africa to northeast South Africa and Angola.
They are absent from the tropical forests along the Gulf of Guinea and the Congo Basin.
Common throughout its range, but unusual to ornithologists unaware of just how colorful starlings can be, the great blue starling is a magnificent bird with spectacular plumage that must be believed to be believed.
One of the brightest members of the Sturnidae family, there are many different facts about the great blue starling that may surprise bird lovers.
Scientific name: Lamprotornis halibei. Common Name: Blue-eared starling, Blue-eared brilliant starling, Green brilliant starling, Blue-eared starling. Lifespan: 2-3 years. Size: 8.5-9.5 inches. Weight: 2.7-5.6 oz. Wingspan: 15-17 inches. Storage Status: Least Concern.
These stars are easy to recognize. First, their upright posture, hard bill, and short tail help identify them in the starling family, and their bright coloration is a key distinguishing feature.
The sexes are similar with a brownish-blue upper body that exhibits a brightly lustrous metallic iridescence in good light. A blue-black patch on the face, like a mask, surrounds the eyes and extends to the earlobes.
Evenly spaced relatively uniform black spots form the stripes of both wings.
The plumage of this bird can have different shades or degrees of coloration depending on the viewing angle and the quality of the light. The eyes are bright yellow or yellow-orange with a dark pupil, and the legs and feet are grey-black.
