tags: Superb Starling, Lamprotornis superbus, identify this bird, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Superb Starling, sometimes known in American aviculture as the Spreo Starling in honor of its previous genus name, Lamprotornis (Spreo) superbus, photographed in Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania, Africa. This species is the most common bird in its taxonomic family that the photographer encountered in Tanzania and Kenya. These birds were literally trash birds, he writes, hanging around trash cans, picnic tables etc. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Dan Logen, 8 August 2006 [larger view].
Nikon D2X, Nikon 200-400 VR lens at 290 mm. ISO 160. 1/80, f/7.1.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
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Oh. I've seen this bird. Um, in the zoo.
Looks like a superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus).
Superb starling (Lamprotornis superbus)?
Black head, chestnut breast, iridescent blue-green back. Not a Hildebrandt's, which is much darker in coloration.
Agree with the above. They are also known as Spreo starlings - I believe Spreo is a redundant generic name. They are fairly common in aviculture for obvious reasons.
the woodland park zoo has a pair that i keep trying to get GOOD photos of, to no avail. they seem to love perching in hard-to-see areas of the aviary, at least while i'm around :)
Superb Starling -- it's the only Lamprotornis with a white line separating the belly from the chest (according to Sinclair and Ryan). It also is the only species in that genus having a white vent.
I'm not sure the type of bird but I bet it tastes like chicken.