The superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus) is a member of the starling family of birds. It was formerly known as Spreo superbus. They are long-lived birds that can live over 15 years in captivity.
This species is 18 to 19 cm (7.1 to 7.5 in) in height. These small short-tailed starlings have a long narrow bill, robust bodies, strong feet and a distinctive plumage pattern. Their spectacular iridescent plumage is due to the arrangement of melanin granules within the feathers, resulting in structural blues and greens, rather than colors derived from pigments. The appearance of the superb starling is very similar to the Hildebrandt's starling, also found in East Africa. The superb starling is distinguished by having pale creamy-white eyes, as opposed to red eyes in the Hildebrandt's. Moreover, only adult superb starlings have a white breast band.
In the adult plumage, superb starlings have a bronzy-black crown and ear-coverts. The area between the eye and the bill on the side of their head (the lore) is black. Almost all their body is a blue-green glossy color; the chin, the throat, the chest, the nape, the mantle, their back, and their uppertail-coverts. The nape area displays the most prominent blue tones. A slender white strip divides the glossy chest from the red-orange abdomen, flanks, and thighs. The vent, as well as the underside of the tail and wings, are white. On the wings, the primary feathers 6-9 show an inward curve on the inner web, whereas primaries 5-8 have tapered outer web. The glossy metallic-green wings have dark black spots on the median and grater coverts. Their irises are creamy-white. Their legs and their bills are black. The superb starlings are sexually monomorphic, which means that both sex lookalike. However, in captive pair, males appear to have a wider white breastband.
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