All you need to know about the wattled starling in this bird of the week edition
These birds are often perched on the back of sheep and rhinos.
A locally abundant nomad, seldom stays long in one place and found throughout Southern Africa.
They like open woodland, savanna and farmland where they feed on insects, offal, snails, worms, fruit and nectar of flowering trees and aloes.
These starlings are highly gregarious at all times and forage in groups of three to 10 birds walking about on the ground, catching live prey. Often perched on the back of sheep or rhinos. They roost in nests communally in flocks of hundreds of birds.
These starlings fly with rapid wing beats, often in tight flocks with a nasal call graaah.
The song is a high pitched jumble of thin squeaky notes tsip – tsip – tseep – tseee – tseep. They are usually silent when not breeding.
Breeding at any month, depending on food supply and rainfall. The colonial nests are large untidy balls of sticks with side and top entrances in thorn trees or bushes built by both sexes.
Two to five plain, pale blue eggs are laid. The incubation period is about 11 days and nestling period is 13 to 16 days. First flight after 19 days.
The Zulu name is iMpofazana and in Afrikaans die lelspreeu.
