Size:Length; 40cm. Weight; 130g

Habitat and Distribution: Senegambia through Chad and the Central African Republic to western Sudan. Dry savanna and wooded suburbs.

Groups and Breeding:Nest in tree holes lined with leaves. Lay 3 to 4 eggs which are incubated by the female.  Usually seen in groups of up to 8 birds.

Diet: Fruit and insects.

• They have glossy blue or green upper parts, which is due to hollow melanin granules arranged in a single layer near the feathers' surface.
• The tail feathers are up to 34cm long.
• Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae.
• Starlings have diverse and complex vocalisations, and have been known to copy sounds from their surroundings into their own calls.
• The birds can recognise particular individuals by their calls, and are currently the subject of research into the evolution of human language.