Narrow-tailed Starling
Encyclopedia
The Narrow-tailed Starling (Poeoptera lugubris) is a species of starling
in the Sturnidae family.
It is found in West
and Central Africa
from Sierra Leone
to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
.. The male is dark blue and the female is dark gray with chestnut-colored patches on the wings, visible in flight. Both sexes have long, narrow tails. Not a very noisy bird, this starling’s vocalizations include shrill chirps, cries, and whistles. Its habitat is the canopy of lowland forest, making use of secondary forest
and forest clearings. It eats mostly fruit, and sometimes insects or seeds. These starlings form flocks
of 10-30 or more birds, and sometimes will mix with other fruit-eating birds. This bird is a colony-nester
, making its nest
high up in dead trees in holes originally excavated by colonial cavity-nesting barbet
s, sometimes with both birds nesting in close proximity. Eggs are pale blue-gray with brown spots.
Starling
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The name "Sturnidae" comes from the Latin word for starling, sturnus. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent...
in the Sturnidae family.
It is found in West
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
and Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
from Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
.. The male is dark blue and the female is dark gray with chestnut-colored patches on the wings, visible in flight. Both sexes have long, narrow tails. Not a very noisy bird, this starling’s vocalizations include shrill chirps, cries, and whistles. Its habitat is the canopy of lowland forest, making use of secondary forest
Secondary forest
A secondary forest is a forest or woodland area which has re-grown after a major disturbance such as fire, insect infestation, timber harvest or windthrow, until a long enough period has passed so that the effects of the disturbance are no longer evident...
and forest clearings. It eats mostly fruit, and sometimes insects or seeds. These starlings form flocks
Flock (birds)
A flock is a group of birds conducting flocking behavior in flight, or while foraging. The term is akin to the herd amongst mammals. The benefits of aggregating in flocks are varied and flocks will form explicitly for specific purposes...
of 10-30 or more birds, and sometimes will mix with other fruit-eating birds. This bird is a colony-nester
Bird colony
A bird colony is a large congregation of individuals of one or more species of bird that nest or roost in close proximity at a particular location. Many kinds of birds are known to congregate in groups of varying size; a congregation of nesting birds is called a breeding colony...
, making its nest
Bird nest
A bird nest is the spot in which a bird lays and incubates its eggs and raises its young. Although the term popularly refers to a specific structure made by the bird itself—such as the grassy cup nest of the American Robin or Eurasian Blackbird, or the elaborately woven hanging nest of the...
high up in dead trees in holes originally excavated by colonial cavity-nesting barbet
Barbet
American barbets, family Capitonidae, are near passerine birds of the order Piciformes which inhabit humid forests in Central and South America. They are closely related to the toucans....
s, sometimes with both birds nesting in close proximity. Eggs are pale blue-gray with brown spots.
