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Rüppell's Starling

Lamprotornis purpuroptera

Photo by Benno Ibold
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Habitat:

Semi-dry bush savannah at Mara River.

Notes:

The Shelley starlings build their nests usually in natural tree cavities. These are often in thorny trees at a height between 1.5 and 3 m. Likewise, they use rock crevices.

Reference Links:

Shelleyglanzstar – Wikipedia, Rüppell's Starling - Lamprotornis purpuroptera

Species ID Suggestions

Rüppell's starling

Lamprotornis purpuroptera

Reference Link
Zlatan Celebic
2

Comments (4)
Malcolm Wilton-Jones
No problem Zlatan, Benno has been inactive on PN for over a year, though he is still active elsewhere.
Zlatan Celebic
I apologise, but as there were no reaction for over a year, I allowed myself to change the ID from Shelley's to Ruppell's starling.
Malcolm Wilton-Jones
Agreed, pictures 2, 5 & 6 clearly show no red belly and wrong colour eye, so Shelley's can be ruled out.
Zlatan Celebic
I don't think this is Shelley's starling. Shelley's has a short tail and red eye, and rufous-brown belly... With this long tail and a white eye, this looks more like Rüppell's Long-tailed (L. purpuropterus)
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 25, 2016

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