When I first saw this bird I was absolutely taken aback - it was stunning.

[geoff_eg@mastodon.social]

When I first saw this bird I was absolutely taken aback - it was stunning. The shimmer of blue on its feathers, highlights of greens and purples. Just a gorgeous bird!

Of course, I got laughed at after finding out that this Sparling is effectively the crow of #SouthAfrica. So common that to most it is but a nuisance.

It reminded me of Magpies back home, or even Pigeons. Birds that would be of high aesthetic praise if they were more rare.

#birdphotography #wildlifephotography #nature #birds

[kimvanwyk@fosstodon.org]

@geoff_eg hello, I think you might have a typo - as a South African I would call that bird a Starling. I think the Cape Starling is the blueish bird we commonly see.

[geoff_eg@mastodon.social]

@kimvanwyk you had me second guessing my memory! I just studied two images of the Cape Starling and Blue Eared Starling and, I'm still certain it's the Greater Blue Eared Starling. The bolder black band around the eyes is what has me convinced.

That said, I'm no bird expert 😅 but, I did confirm that both birds have habitat in the region I was in.

[kimvanwyk@fosstodon.org]

@geoff_eg I'm definitely no expert at all, Greater Blue Eared Starling sounds right to me having now looked both up. I was going on probably bad memory anyhow.