Let's Talk About Birds: Golden-breasted starling
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Two golden-breasted starlings land on the hand of a visitor at the National Aviary on the North Side.
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The golden-breasted starling (Cosmopsarus regius), also known as the royal starling, is a beautiful bird noted for its glimmering metallic feathers. When fully mature, it measures 12-15 inches long and is a patchwork of elegantly contrasting colors, with a green head, a bright Steelers-gold breast and belly, and iridescent violet blue on its wings, back and neck. A slim body and elongated tail add to the bird's graceful appearance.
Starlings are classified as "passerines," a category of birds that includes more than half of the bird species in the world. Passerines, also known as song birds, include, in total, more than 5,000 identified species.
A passerine has three toes pointing forward and one toe directed backward, a foot formation known as an "anisodactyl" arrangement. This toe alignment enables passerine birds to perch on vertical surfaces such as trees and cliffs. Their leg muscles also have a special adaptation for perching. If a bird starts to lose its balance or finds its grip slipping, its leg muscles will automatically tighten and become stiff. This ability allows passerines such as the golden-breasted starling and the songbirds you see in your backyard to sleep without falling off their perch.
Golden-breasted starlings can be found in the grasslands and savannas of East Africa, where they live in small family groups. Adult birds are agile fliers and are able to catch insects -- their primary diet staple -- in mid air. They also feed on insects on the ground and use their long bills to pry open termite mounds in pursuit of a juicy termite meal.
A female golden-breasted starling will lay three to five bluish-green eggs that are speckled with red. Nests are built in tree holes and are constructed from leaves, roots, straw and other vegetation. Raising the young is a family affair, with others in the family group joining the parents in gathering nesting materials and bringing food to the chicks.
You can see golden-breasted starlings flying freely in the Tropical Forest exhibit at the National Aviary. During daily public feedings, the starlings will land on the hands of visitors who are willing to hold up a wiggly meal worm or wax worm. Contact the National Aviary or visit www.aviary.org for feeding times.
First Published December 14, 2011 12:00 am
