Skip to main content
Close

Greater Blue-eared Glossy-starlings

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

Photo by nicky.sanchez
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

23.4241, 53.8478

Field Notes

Description:

Thanks Saber for naming this bird... :)

The Greater Blue-eared Glossy-starling is a 22 cm long, short tailed bird. This starling is glossy blue-green with a purple-blue belly and blue ear patch. Its iris is bright yellow or orange. The sexes are similar, but the juvenile is duller and has blackish brown underparts.
The populations from southern Kenya southwards are smaller than northern birds and are sometimes considered to be a separate subspecies, L. c. sycobius.

The Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-starling is very similar to this species, but the blue of the belly does not extend forward of the legs in that bird.
The Greater Blue-eared Glossy-starling has a range of musical or grating calls, but the most familiar is a nasal squee-ar.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment

Sign in to comment

Spotted for Missions

Photographed
PublishedMay 11, 2011

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon