Lamprotornis is a large genus of glossy starlings all of which occur in Africa south of the Sahara. They have glossy blue or green upper parts, which is due to hollow melanin granules arranged in a single layer near the feather barbule's surface. This unique arrangement led to some glossy starlings formerly placed in the genus Spreo being transferred to Lamprotornis, since they shared this feature (but see also below).
The genus Lamprotornis was introduced by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1820. The type species was subsequently designated as the long-tailed glossy starling.
The under parts of these species lack iridescence. They may be blue, purple, yellow or brown. Most Lamprotornis starlings have striking yellow or red irides and some have long tails.
These glossy starlings are found in a variety of habitats from forests to open woodland and gardens. They nest in tree holes, either natural, or made by woodpeckers or barbets, and some will use man-made structures. Most species are resident apart from seasonal or local movement, but Shelley's starling is migratory. Most species are gregarious outside the breeding season.
Lamprotornis glossy starlings are omnivorous and mostly feed on the ground, although they will take fruit from trees. Some will feed on or near large mammals to find insects.
Species
The genus contains 22 species.
Common name Scientific name Image Distribution Cape starling Lamprotornis nitens Southern Africa Greater blue-eared starling Lamprotornis chalybaeus Senegal east to Ethiopia and south through eastern Africa to northeastern South Africa and Angola Lesser blue-eared starling Lamprotornis chloropterus widespread in sub-Saharan Africa Bronze-tailed starling Lamprotornis chalcurus Senegal through Nigeria to South Sudan and Kenya Splendid starling Lamprotornis splendidus widespread in western and central Africa Principe starling Lamprotornis ornatus endemic to São Tomé and Príncipe Emerald starling Lamprotornis iris (formerly Coccycolius iris) Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast Purple starling Lamprotornis purpureus tropical Africa from Senegal and northern Zaire east to Sudan and west Kenya Rüppell's starling Lamprotornis purpuroptera Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia to Tanzania Long-tailed glossy starling Lamprotornis caudatus tropical Africa from Senegal east to Sudan. Golden-breasted starling Lamprotornis regius Ethiopia and Somalia to northern Tanzania Meves's starling Lamprotornis mevesii southern Africa Burchell's starling Lamprotornis australis southern Africa Sharp-tailed starling Lamprotornis acuticaudus southern central Africa Superb starling Lamprotornis superbus (formerly Spreo superbus) eastern Africa Hildebrandt's starling Lamprotornis hildebrandti (formerly Notauges hildebrandti) Ethiopia and Somalia to Kenya. Shelley's starling, Lamprotornis shelleyi eastern AfricaChestnut-bellied starlingLamprotornis pulcher (formerly Spreo pulcher) Burkina Faso and western Africa Ashy starling Lamprotornis unicolor (formerly Spreo unicolor) Kenya and Tanzania Pied starling Lamprotornis bicolor (formerly Spreo bicolor) South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland Fischer's starling Lamprotornis fischeri (formerly Spreo fischeri) southern Ethiopia and Somalia to eastern Kenya and Tanzania White-crowned starling Lamprotornis albicapillus (formerly Spreo albicapillus) Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.
The limits of this genus have seen recent revision following phylogenetic analysis with molecular markers. For example, the black-bellied starling is now placed in a separate genus Notopholia. On the other hand, genera such as Coccycolius, Spreo and Compsarus were found nested in Lamprotornis and have been merged.
References
Feare, Chris & Craig, Adrian (1999): Starlings and Mynas. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-7136-3961-X
External links