Violet-backed Starling
Violet-backed StarlingViolet-backed StarlingViolet-backed StarlingViolet-backed Starling

Violet-backed Starling

Cinnyricinclus leucogaster

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
20–30% · Possible
overall probability at Kruger National Park
1,857 Verified records at Kruger National Park
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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 →

20–30% of wildlife watchers report a Violet-backed Starling sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 1,857 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Kruger National Park

Burchell's Glossy-starling
LC

Burchell's Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis australis

40–50% · Likely
Red-shouldered Glossy-starling
LC

Red-shouldered Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis nitens

40–50% · Likely
Greater Blue-eared Starling
LC

Greater Blue-eared Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

40–50% · Likely
Wattled Starling
LC

Wattled Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Creatophora cinerea

10–20% · With luck
Red-winged Starling
LC

Red-winged Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Onychognathus morio

10–20% · With luck
Meves's Glossy-starling
LC

Meves's Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis mevesii

5–10% · With luck
Pied Starling
LC

Pied Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis bicolor

<5% · Rare
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

60–70% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

50–60% · Likely
Red-billed Oxpecker

Red-billed Oxpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Buphagus erythrorhynchus

50–60% · Likely
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
LC

Blue-breasted Cordonbleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus angolensis

40–50% · Likely
Magpie Shrike

Magpie Shrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Urolestes melanoleucus

40–50% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
30–40
Feb
10–20
Mar
5–10
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
20–30
Oct
50–60
Nov
50–60
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

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

# Park Country Probability
1 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
20–30%
2 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
20–30%
3 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
4 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
5 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
6 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
7 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
10–20%
8 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
9 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
10 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
10–20%
11 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
12 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
13 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
14 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
15 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
16 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
17 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
10–20%
18 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
5–10%
19 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
20 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
5–10%
21 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
22 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
5–10%
23 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
24 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
25 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
26 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
5–10%
27 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
5–10%
28 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
5–10%
29 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
5–10%
30 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
31 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
32 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
33 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
34 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
35 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
36 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
37 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
38 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
39 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
40 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
41 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
42 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
43 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
44 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
45 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
Insufficient data
46 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
47 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
48 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Violet-backed Starling in Kruger National Park?

About 23% of wildlife watchers report a Violet-backed Starling sighting in Kruger National Park, based on 1,857 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Violet-backed Starling in Kruger National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for Violet-backed Starling in Kruger National Park in our monthly data.

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