Superb Starling

Scientific Name: Spreo superbus

Origin: East Africa

This is one of the most popular and beautiful of the glossy starling species. It has a very discordant cry, so is most often kept for its fabulous color and ease of taming. It is a good exhibition species. Whilst a single bird does not harm those of other species, a pair can be spiteful and murderous. A pair kept for breeding needs to be kept in a separate fight. This species likes to bathe, so provide a pool in the aviary, if possible.

Description:

Size: 20 cm (8 in)

COCK:

Head: blue. Back: green. Chest and stomach: chestnut. Upper breast: blue. A white band separates these two colors.

Beak: black. legs: black.

HEN:

The hen looks similar to the cock. This specie cannot be sexed by appearance, so observe behavior.

Diet: (Softbill)

Coarse grade insectile mix, fruit and live food fed every day form the basic diet. All fruit should be chopped up into cubes. Raisins, sultanas and currants are also enjoyed. Minced raw beef should be blended with the insectile mix, and all ingredients can he mixed together in one dish.

Breeding:

Supply a pair with a large nest box with an entrance hole near the top. Try to give plenty of nesting material including hay, dried grasses and roots. A large untidy nest is built completely filling the nest box.

Three to four eggs are laid and the incubation period lasts for 13 days. Plenty of live food is required, including mealworms, maggots, smooth hacked caterpillars and woodlice.

Chicks should be segregated from their parents as soon as they are able to feed themselves, or they may be attacked when a second round of eggs is laid.

Superb Starling Information

• The brilliantly colored bird is very common in the African country Kenya. The bird can be seen so often in the country that you are required to keep your eyes closed in order to avoid seeing the bird.
• The bird mainly inhabits in woodlands, open grass lands, thorn bush, acacia as well as agricultural fields. But it has been able to adopt very well with the environments of human settlements.
• The bird is mainly found in large flocks and is far from the treat of extinction.
• These birds are perfect as aviary dwellers. Their inclusion of the bird adds color to the sight of the aviary.
• They prefer to build their nests on their own and the courtship is initiated by the male like other birds. During courtship both the sexes of the birds woo each other by short jumps on the ground, trailing their wings and by outstretching their wings.
• The song of the male can be varied. The sound of the son may range from chattering to whistling. The bird has also been reported to be mimicking the call of other bird species.