Emerald starling
Latin Name
Lamprotornis iris
Class
Birds
Order
Passeriformes
Description
Lamprotornis iris
Class
Birds
Order
Passeriformes
Description
Named for its vibrant colors, the emerald starling has green, iridescent feathers on its chest and wings and purple markings on the belly and around the eyes.
Range
Status
Habitat
Niche
Life History
Special Adaptations
Western Africa
Status
Common. Lincoln Park Zoo cooperatively manages emerald starling populations with other institutions in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Habitat
Open savanna and woodlands
Niche
The emerald starling catches insects in flight and also uses its strong beak to probe for insects and seeds in soil and heavy vegetation. In the wild, the species lives in flocks of 15-20 members; these flocks occasionally gather to form larger groups.
Life History
The emerald starling locates its nest in small holes found in tree stumps or trunks. The male and female cooperate in building the nest from leaves, and both bring food to chicks after they hatch.
Special Adaptations
Females possess a brood patch—a spot on their stomach lacking feathers—that helps them transfer body heat to their eggs.
