Lesser Blue-eared Starling

The lesser blue-eared starling, or lesser blue-eared glossy-starling, is a captivating species of starling belonging to the family Sturnidae. Its scientific name is Lamprotornis chloropterus, a name that reflects the lustrous sheen of its plumage.

Identification Tips

Adults of this species are distinguished by their iridescent blue ear coverts and the glossy sheen on their feathers, which can appear in various shades depending on the light. Observers may note the transition of plumage in immature birds as they moult into their adult colors.

Habitat

The lesser blue-eared starling is known to inhabit a range of environments across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Distribution

This starling has a wide distribution, being found in numerous African countries including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List has classified the lesser blue-eared starling as Least Concern, indicating that, currently, there are no immediate threats to its population numbers that would warrant a higher level of concern.