Kingdom Animalia Scientific name Speculipastor bicolor Higher classification Speculipastor Order Passerine | Family Sturnidae Phylum Chordata Rank Species | |
Genus Speculipastor
Reichenow, 1879 Similar Bristle‑crowned starling, White‑collared starling, Babbling starling, Stuhlmann's starling, Kenrick's starling | ||
The magpie starling (Speculipastor bicolor) is a member of the starling family from eastern Africa.
Contents
Description
The magpie starling is about 16–19 cm (6.5–7.5 in) in length. The white patches at base of primaries are obvious in flight. The male is a shiny blue-black on upperparts, head and upper breast, with mostly white below and bloodred eyes. The female is a dull blackish above with dark grey crown, and a dark grey throat is separated from white belly by a glossy black breast band. Her eyes are red or orange-red. The Juvenile is brown with a white belly; eyes brown, becoming orange-red in as the bird matures. Exceptional young birds are entirely white below, including chin and throat.
The call is a prolonged soft babbling quereeeh quaaa kereek quak-quak, suaaaa, cherak-chik-chak...mixed higher harsh notes.
Distribution and habitat
It is a gregarious nomadic pied starling of dry brush and thorn-scrub in northern and eastern Kenya. It is also found in Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.