Golden-breasted Starling - Cosmopsarus regius

The Golden-breasted Starling or Royal Starling is found in East Africa. The adult has a metallic green head and upperback, bright golden yellow breast and belly, dark bill and legs, white iris and metallic violet blue on wings, back, neck and its long tail feathers. Both sexes are similar. The young is duller than adult.

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Adult

03/28/2012 - San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA 03/28/2012 - San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA	03/28/2012 - San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA 03/28/2012 - San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA	03/28/2012 - San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA 03/28/2012 - San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA
08/24/2012 - National Aviary, Pittsburg, PA 08/24/2012 - National Aviary, Pittsburg, PA	04/15/2012 - Houston Zoo, Texas 04/15/2012 - Houston Zoo, Texas	04/23/2012 - Houston Zoo, Texas 04/23/2012 - Houston Zoo, Texas
04/23/2012 - Houston Zoo, Texas 04/23/2012 - Houston Zoo, Texas	08/25/2012 - National Aviary, Pittsburg, PA 08/25/2012 - National Aviary, Pittsburg, PA	08/25/2012 - National Aviary, Pittsburg, PA 08/25/2012 - National Aviary, Pittsburg, PA

Diet:

Courtship: The Golden-breasted Starling is a social animal, living in groups of three to twelve individuals. Its diet consists mainly of insects and termites. Adult birds catch insects in flight and dig up termite mounds to find prey.[1] The Golden-breasted Starling molts once a year, after the breeding season.

The female usually lays between three to five pale green eggs with red speckles. It nests in tree holes. The nest is made from leaves, roots and other vegetation matters. Entire family groups cooperate in raising young by gathering food and nesting materials.[1]

Nesting:

Habitat and Range: The Golden-breasted Starling is distributed to the grassland, savanna and shrubland of East Africa, from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and northern Tanzania.

Vocalization:

Plumage/Molt

Migration:

Tongue/feet:

Bibliography:

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