BREEDS & their NEEDS Spreo Starling LAMPROTOMIS SUPERBUS

GENERAL INFORMATION
(all underlined words/phrases in ORANGE are relevant, useful links to other pages in the
website - just click on them to access)

• Common Name : Spreo Starling also known as Superb Starling

• Origin / Distribution: Northeast Africa: Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and the Sudan.
• Status In Wild:  Common.  Often seen in gardens of Homes, Hotels and Safari Lodges in E. Africa
  looking for scraps
• Age To Sexual Maturity: ?
• Sexing:   Similar
• Colour mutations: None
• Temperament: Can be a bit noisy but can also become tame enough to take tidbits from your hand!
  
   

DESCRIPTION :

• They are approx 8" (20cm) with a black head, glossy blue-green chest and upper parts, rust-coloured chest with white vent area.  They show a brilliant iridescence when the sun shines on them.
   

ADVANTAGES to KEEPING the Spreo Starling

• Probably one of the easiest Soft-billed birds to maintain and breed in your Garden Aviary.

• The name "Softbill" refers to their diet not their beak. 
• Softbills feed on soft foods such as insects and plant materials and rely less on hard seeds.
• They eat foods like fruit, insects and nectars.
• If a variety of Softbills are housed in one aviary, care must be taken to satisfy the needs of
  each type of Softbill. 
• Separate feed stations should be provided.
   
• They can become fairly tame with their Keepers
  • - they MAY if you take the time to be quiet and gentle with them - take tidbits out of your hand!
    
     

DISADVANTAGES

• Can be a bit noisy and poss upset close neighbours!
  
   

AVAILABILITY to PURCHASE

• You will occasionally see them advertised either in C&A birds + other magazines and on our
  Web site - see our Birds for Sale & Wanted Page. 

• Expect to pay approx £150 per pair (2007)
  
   

SUITABILITY

• Those interesting in starting with soft-billed birds.

• They are good for a first-timer

• As they are fairly straightforward and hardy to look after.
  
   

DIET

• They are omnivorous by nature (ie. they will eat a wide variety of foods.)

• They thrive on a diet of coarse-grade softbill food, chopped fruit and some live-food such as
  mealworms and crickets

  • - the "Live-foods" being essential for a good source of protein during the breeding and
    chick-rearing season.

• Calcium and a good Vit/min supplement is also required on a regular basis.
  
   

HOUSING

• They are best kept on their own.

• A spacious Aviary planted with safe vegetation

• Expect some damage to the vegetation, which will need replacing as and when necessary.

• They must have a weatherproof Shelter/Shed area, for the colder months

• If your birds prefer to roost outside, make sure you provide some winter protection in the form
  of perspex sheeting to the outside of the Aviary mesh.

• No bird can tolerated being in a draft - so makes sure the wind can't "Whistle" thru the Aviary

• Make sure your birds always have something wooden or plastic they can get in or behind to shelter.
   

• They love to bathe, esp. in the Spring, so provide a suitable plastic dish (a dog's bowl would be good.)
  
   

VOICE

• Mainly a long warbling song with some chattering and occasional whining Alarm Calls!

• This is what MAY annoy close neighbours?!
  
   

NESTING

• Provide a medium-sized parakeet-style NESTBOX in a protected, sheltered position.

• They need plenty of assorted Nesting Material as they make a rather bulky nest in the N.Box.
   

EGGS:  2 - 4
INCUBATION: Approx. 13 days
FLEDGING:      Approx. 3 weeks
 

• It's best to clean the nest out between broods, if possible.

• Once the First Round of Chicks are independent probably best to remove to another Aviary.

WORMING    

• They need regular WORMING and good hygiene standards because of their messy droppings due
  to their soft-bill diet.

• Click on link above for in depth details on Worming and Wormers

• Uneaten fruit, esp. in warm weather can cause a build-up of fungal spores and can lead to  digestive upsets or potentially fatal infections.

• Perches must also be kept clean to prevent foot infections (see Bumble Foot)

• Use an absorbent Floor covering such as "Easibed".
  
   

AVERAGE LIFESPAN

• They may live for approx. 10 years in captivity.
   

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Spreo Starling will often mimic other birds and sounds

• the same as our native starlings are capable of.

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