Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Black-bellied Starling

THERE are five species of Starling that are reasonably common in the Highway area. Our species for this week’s column is the Black-bellied Starling and if you would like to spot it then you will need to take a walk in one of our forests!

Also read: Chirping with Kloof Conservancy – Chinspot Batis

Description

The Black-bellied Starling is a relatively small bird, measuring approximately 18cm and weighing 50g. It is slim, blackish looking and not as glossy as other starlings in the area. It has a matt-black belly, but sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the black belly from the rest of the plumage. The males and females are identical except for the eye which is usually yellow, but the male’s eye turns red during the breeding season.

Distribution

The Black-bellied Starling is found in a very narrow coastal strip from Wilderness in the Western Cape to Swaziland and the southern part of Mozambique.

Habitat

This species will only be found in forested or dense bush areas with tall, dense vegetation.

Feeding

The Black-bellied Starling feeds primarily on fruit and berries which it will pick off of trees or occasionally off the ground. Like many other forest species, they do enjoy nectar, particularly that of the mountain aloe (Aloe marlothii). It will also opportunistically feed on small lizards, reed frogs and termites.

Breeding

This species is opportunistic and nests in tree cavities – often those abandoned by barbets or woodpeckers. The Black-bellied Starling has to compete for nesting sites and, is in, turn often displaced by Green Wood Hoopoes or Common Starlings. The nest is lined with feathers, hair, grass and dry leaves. Two to four eggs are laid, usually between October and January, and the incubation is done solely by the female.

Predators and threats

This species is not threatened and is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as ‘least concern’.

Local information

We are fortunate in the Highway area to have many forested areas so the Black-bellied Starling is quite at home and can easily be spotted on a short forest walk.

Interesting facts

The Black-bellied Starling has no discernible song of its own, but it is a good mimicker and will mimic the calls of many other birds, including the Dark-capped Bulbul and Diedrick Cuckoo. They are quite sociable birds, and in the non-breeding season, they can gather in very noisy flocks of up to 400. Another fascinating characteristic of the Black-bellied Starling is that when agitated, their eye colour can change to red in a matter of seconds. It is believed that this occurs because of increased blood flow to the iris.

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