Violet-backed Starling
Cinnyricinclus leucogaster
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilySturnidae (Starlings)
- GenusCinnyricinclus
- SpeciesCinnyricinclus leucogaster (Violet-backed Starling)
The violet-backed starling (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster), also known as the plum-coloured starling or amethyst starling, or Ndambamukula in the Venda language, is a relatively small species (17 cm) of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is the only member of the genus Cinnyricinclus. This strongly sexually dimorphic species is found widely in the woodlands and savannah forest edges of mainland sub-Saharan Africa. It is rarely seen on the ground, but instead found in trees and other locations away from the ground. Wikipedia →
5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Violet-backed Starling sighting in Gorongosa National Park, based on 18 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Gorongosa National Park
Wattled Starling
Creatophora cinerea
Greater Blue-eared Starling
Lamprotornis chalybaeus
Lesser Blue-eared Glossy-starling
Lamprotornis chloropterus
Red-winged Starling
Onychognathus morio
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Black-backed Puffback
Dryoscopus cubla
Black-headed Oriole
Oriolus larvatus
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
Uraeginthus angolensis
African Paradise-Flycatcher
Terpsiphone viridis
Black-crowned Tchagra
Tchagra senegalus
Collared Sunbird
Hedydipna collaris
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Violet-backed Starling in Gorongosa National Park?
About 8% of wildlife watchers report a Violet-backed Starling sighting in Gorongosa National Park, based on 18 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Violet-backed Starling in Gorongosa National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Violet-backed Starling in Gorongosa National Park in our monthly data.