Kruger National Park
Limpopo · Best Apr to Sep
41 places
Go Birdingfrom Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)
Greater Blue-eared Starling
Lamprotornis chalybaeus
The greater blue-eared starling or greater blue-eared glossy-starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus) is a bird that breeds from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south through eastern Africa to northeastern South Africa and Angola.
Species insights
When to visit
Recorded year-round
Recorded in every month, so no month is the wrong month to look. We would rather say that than invent a best time.
Best monthsAny month
Records1,276 records
Curve from 1,276 national iNaturalist observations, not from one property. Single-month spikes are discarded as upload artefacts, and below 50 records we show no curve at all.
Where you'll find it
Mpumalanga and beyond
Provinces where Greater Blue-eared Starling is most recorded. Tap one to find places to stay.
1,276 records, iNaturalist
Parks where hosts record the Greater Blue-eared Starling
Stays that give back
Across South Africa
Pafuri Camp by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 11,820a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Baobab Hill House by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 17,120a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Nkula Walking Camp by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 8,380a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Hutwini Walking Camp by RETURN Africa
Kruger National Park
From R 11,820a night
Reliably seen · Birder friendly
Mdluli Safari Lodge
Kruger National Park
From R 10,670a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Ubuntu Lodge at Elephant Point
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
The Orpen Kruger
Kruger National Park
From R 9,024a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Kruger Shalati: The Train on the Bridge
Kruger National Park
From R 17,400a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Lion Sands Tinga Lodge
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Kruger Untamed - Satara Plains Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 11,980a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Kruger Untamed - Tshokwane River Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 17,500a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Lion Sands Narina Lodge
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Orpen Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 1,815a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Crocodile Bridge Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 390a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Hinkwenu Villa, Lion Sands
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Tsendze Rustic Camp Site
Kruger National Park
From R 379a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Satara Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 331a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Singita Lebombo Villa
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Olifants Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 1,445a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Maroela Satellite Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 390a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Singita Sweni Lodge
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Berg-en-Dal Rest Camp
Kruger National Park
From R 390a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Roodewal Bush Lodge
Kruger National Park
From R 10,966a night
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
Singita Lebombo Lodge
Kruger National Park
Price on request
Greater Blue-eared Starling recorded here
The Elephant Coast
Next stop
iSimangaliso wetlands, sand forest, and Sodwana reefs
See places that give backPlanning a trip
When and where to find the Greater Blue-eared Starling
Hosts have recorded the Greater Blue-eared Starling at stays in or beside Kruger National Park and Mapungubwe National Park.
Best hours of the day
- The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
- Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.
Ways to look
Drive yourself
Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.
Where hosts record it
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
Species
Lamprotornis chalybaeus
Records
1,276
iNaturalist observations
Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.
Questions travellers ask
A record means a host has seen the Greater Blue-eared Starling on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.
Which parks and reserves are best for the Greater Blue-eared Starling in South Africa?
Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Greater Blue-eared Starling at stays in or beside Kruger National Park and Mapungubwe National Park. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.
Where can you see the Greater Blue-eared Starling in South Africa?
The Greater Blue-eared Starling is most recorded in Mpumalanga (74% of records), Limpopo (26% of records), based on 1,276 iNaturalist observations. 44 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the Greater Blue-eared Starling on site or nearby.
When is the best time to see the Greater Blue-eared Starling?
The Greater Blue-eared Starling is recorded throughout the year, so no month is the wrong month to look for it. For the parks where hosts record it most, these are the best seasons they give. Kruger National Park: Apr-Sep; Mapungubwe National Park: May-Sep, dry season. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.
What is the conservation status of the Greater Blue-eared Starling?
The Greater Blue-eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
What is the Greater Blue-eared Starling?
The greater blue-eared starling or greater blue-eared glossy-starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus) is a bird that breeds from Senegal east to Ethiopia and south through eastern Africa to northeastern South Africa and Angola. It is a very common species of open woodland bird, and undertakes some seasonal migration.