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Common Starling
Showing stays that recordCommon Starling50+ stays list it on site or nearby
Species insights

Parks where hosts record the Common Starling

Stays that give back

Across the Western Cape

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Succulent Karoo biome · Black backed jackal · Honey badger

Gives back to BirdLife South Africa

From R 350 a night

Ouberg Private Nature Reserve

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome

Gives back to Pietersfontein Conservancy

From R 1,155 a night

Barry House on Riverton

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Black wildebeest · Bontebok

Gives back to BirdLife South Africa

From R 5,636 a night

Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Gemsbok · Greater kudu

Gives back to Wolwekraal Nature Reserve

From R 5,060 a night

Zwartberg View Mountain Lodge

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Spekboom · Outeniqua yellowwood

Gives back to Revive Knysna

From R 2,310 a night

Pumula Lodge 4 Star Guesthouse Knysna

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · Southern right whale

Price on request

Melkkamer Homestead, De Hoop

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome · Southern right whale

From R 4,640 a night

Bliss on the Bay (Pringle Bay)

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome

From R 1,180 a night

Marloth Nature Reserve

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Bontebok · Southern right whale

Price on request

De Hoop Collection

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome

From R 680 a night

Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area

Common Starling recorded here · Forest biome

From R 2,170 a night

Keurbooms River Nature Reserve

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome

Gives back to BirdLife South Africa

Price on request

Lark House

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome · Cape fur seal

From R 1,560 a night

Robberg Nature Reserve

Reliably seen · Birder friendly · Fynbos biome · Black backed jackal · Honey badger

Gives back to BirdLife South Africa

From R 1,500 a night

Bloukrans Off-Grid Cabin

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome

From R 180 a night

Cederberg - Kliphuis

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome · Spekboom

From R 300 a night

Grootvadersbosch Campsites

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome · Spekboom

From R 1,460 a night

Grootvadersbosch Cabins

Common Starling recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom

From R 1,750 a night

Luiperd & Rooikat Cottages

Common Starling recorded here · Succulent Karoo biome · Spekboom

From R 1,750 a night

Bakoorvos & Silwervos Cottages

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome

From R 1,990 a night

Algeria Cottages

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome · Spekboom

From R 1,780 a night

Scolopia Cottage

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome

From R 1,500 a night

Kingfisher Cottage

Common Starling recorded here · Fynbos biome

From R 1,430 a night

Flamingo Cottage

Southern right whales, sea cliffs, and Hermanus's harbour town

See places that give back
The Whale Coast

Planning a trip

When and where to find the Common Starling

Hosts have recorded the Common Starling at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve and Anysberg Nature Reserve.

How and when to see the Common Starling

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.

Species

Sturnus vulgaris

Records

3,430

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the Common Starling on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

Which parks and reserves are best for the Common Starling in Western Cape?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the Common Starling at stays in or beside Cederberg Wilderness Area, Goukamma Nature Reserve, Anysberg Nature Reserve, Rocherpan Nature Reserve, De Hoop Nature Reserve and Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve and other reserves. 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 Common Starling in South Africa?

The Common Starling is most recorded in Western Cape (76% of records), Eastern Cape (20% of records), based on 3,430 iNaturalist observations. 52 places to stay on Spekboom in Western Cape have recorded the Common Starling on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the Common Starling?

The Common 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. Cederberg Wilderness Area: Sep-Apr, flowers Aug-Oct; Goukamma Nature Reserve: year-round, warm Oct-Apr; Anysberg Nature Reserve: Autumn and spring, Mar-May, Sep-Nov; Rocherpan Nature Reserve: Winter and spring for birds and flowers, Jun-Oct. In the dry months animals concentrate at water and the grass is short.

What is the Common Starling?

Sturnus is a genus of starlings. As discussed below, the taxonomy of this group is complex, and other authorities differ considerably in which species they place in this genus, and in the species boundaries within Sturnus. The genus name Sturnus is the Latin for "starling".