Alternative names: Common Chestnut-winged Starling; Forest Chestnut-winged Starling
- Onychognathus fulgidus
Identification
28 - 35cm (11-13¾ in). A large, dark starling with a long, graduated tail.
- Black plumage with greenish gloss
- Reddish-brown primaries
- Red eye
- Black bill and legs
- hartlaubii much smaller than nominate
Females have a grey head and breast, heavily streaked with glossy dark green. Juveniles like males but duller and with brown eyes.
Similar species
The only dark starling with reddish-brown primaries in most of its range. Waller's Starling is smaller and has a much shorter tail.
Distribution
Found in western and central Africa from Guinea east to the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Uganda, south to northern Angola.
Widespread and locally common.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Three subspecies recognized[1]:
- O. f. hartlaubii:
- Sierra Leone to western Sudan
- O. f. fulgidus:
- O. f. intermedius:
Intermedius is not accepted by all authorities and sometimes merged in hartlaubii[2].
Habitat
Primary and old secondary rainforest in the lowlands. Sometimes in clearings and gardens. Occurs mostly below 1000m, often near hills.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds mainly on fruit, takes also some nectar and insects.
Forages in pairs or small groups in the canopy. On Bioko associates with Splendid Glossy-Starling, elsewhere with Copper-tailed Glossy-Starling and Purple-headed Glossy-Starling.
Breeding
The nest is placed in the broad base of palm fronds, among a mass of epiphytes or in a tree hole. Nests sometimes in the base of the nest of a raptor (like Red-necked Buzzard or Palm-nut Vulture).
Movements
A resident but highly mobile species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Chestnut-winged Starling. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 13 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Chestnut-winged_Starling
