Purple starling
Species of bird
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The purple starling (Lamprotornis purpureus), also known as the purple glossy starling, is a member of the starling family of birds.
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| Purple starling | |
|---|---|
| |
| Adult bird in The Gambia | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Sturnidae |
| Genus: | Lamprotornis |
| Species: | L. purpureus |
| Binomial name | |
| Lamprotornis purpureus (Statius Muller, 1776) | |
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Distribution and habitat
Description
The adults of these stocky 22–23 cm long birds have a metallic purple head and body, and glossy green wings. They have a short tail and a yellow eye. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are much duller, with grey underparts and a brown iris.
Behaviour
This is a gregarious and noisy bird, with typical starling squeaks and chattering.
Breeding
The purple starling builds a nest in a hole. The normal clutch is two eggs.
Feeding
Like most starlings, the purple starling is omnivorous, eating fruit and insects.