Scientific Name:
Lamprotornis chalybaeus
Distribution
Senegal to Ethiopia, south through East Africa to north-eastern South Africa and Angola
Diet:
Omnivore. Fruit, insects (like locusts, beetles, termites and ants), nectar, cereal grains, food discarded by people, meat from carcasses.
Facts
Habitat: dry savannah woodland, desert, cultivated areas, gardens.
Incubation: 13-14 days, eggs 3–5
Social structure: pairs, small or large flocks up to 400 birds.
Weight: 76-106gr
Dimensions: 21-24 cm
Lifespan: ~17
Estimated population in the wild: common to abundant
Threats: There are no major threats to this species
IUCN Status: Least concern
Did you know that:
They nest in tree cavities or in abandoned nests of woodpeckers or barbets 5-16m above the ground. On occasion, they have nested inside the large stick nests of Sacred Ibis or Abdim's Stork.
They perch on livestock to feed on insects and occasionally remove ectoparasites (organism that live on their skin).