Birdsong field guide
Abbott's Starling
Arizelopsar femoralis
The Abbott's Starling is the world's smallest starling, a rare and localized specialist of East African montane forest canopies.
What it sounds like
A series of high-pitched, thin, metallic whistles and soft twittering notes.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- It is recognized as the smallest species in the family Sturnidae, measuring only about 16 to 18 centimeters in length.
- The species displays a distinct bicolored appearance with iridescent blue-black upperparts and a sharply contrasting white belly.
- It is a highly social bird, often observed foraging in small groups or mixed-species flocks in the upper reaches of the canopy.
- Its diet is primarily frugivorous, though it is known to supplement its intake with insects caught mid-air or gleaned from foliage.
- The species is currently classified as Vulnerable due to its small, fragmented population and the ongoing loss of its specialized high-altitude habitat.
Habitat
Canopy layer of moist montane evergreen forests.
Range
Isolated highlands of southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, including Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya.
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