African Wildlife & Environment Issue 85

BIRDING

The plumage of the male Violet-backed Starling fulfills the second condition. In 2013, a scientific report established that the structural arrangement of the plumage of this species has a variable mixture of hollow and solid melanosomes. This is the secret behind the

Further reading

South African Bird Atlas project two. Animal Demographic Unit, University of Cape Town Tarboton,WR. (2011) . Roberts Nests and Eggs of Southern African Birds. John Voelcker Bird Book Fund Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violet-backed_ starling

intense metallic colour of its plumage! Threats and conservation status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies it as ‘of Least Concern’.

John Wesson jwesson@wessanorth.co.za

60 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 85 (2024)