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Superb Starling


Superb Starling
Photo Information
Copyright: Peter van Zoest (PeterZ) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2388 W: 94 N: 5521] (17576)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2009-09-20
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D300, AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6 G, Digital JPEG
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/60 seconds
Details: (Fill) Flash: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2009-10-06 7:39
Viewed: 420
Points: 74
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
In the night of 18 to 19 September birds were stolen in my favorite bird park Avifauna. In the morning 20 birds were missing among which two Montserrat Orioles, a male and a female. This species has always had an extremely small range, but recent volcanic eruptions have caused an extremely rapid population decline and extirpated it from all but two disjunct areas. Deposits of volcanic ash have seriously damaged the habitat of the remaining population, and further deposits or an increased frequency of hurricanes could have devastating effects. The future of this species in the wild is extremely uncertain, and it consequently qualifies as Critically Endangered.
Maybe there are about 500 birds in the wild and 50 in bird parks. Avifauna is the only bird park in Europe with these birds and was started a breeding program.

After all the news and commotion a few days later somebody brought the two birds back. The man is arrested. But the birds were damaged. The male lost his tail and the female limps. They can recover.

The other birds, mostly Superb Starlings, are not back. They are still missing.
On 20th September I took this photo of a Superb Starling who still was flying around there in a big hall.
I already have three photos of this starlings posted on TN. All three from the wild, but I like this photo also. I hope you do so.

The Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) is a member of the starling family of birds. It can commonly be found in North East Africa, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

Description
This species is 18 to 19 cm (7 to 7.5 inches) long. Adults have black heads and iridescent blue-to-green back, upper breast, wings, and tail. The belly is red-orange, separated from the blue breast by a white bar. The undertail coverts and the wing linings are white. Juveniles have duller plumage with no more than a suggestion of the white breast band. Their irises are brown, later grayish white, eventually the adult's cream-color.

Habitat
Open scrub and woodland, including gardens and cultivated areas, most below 2200 m.
This species feeds on the ground.

Status
Common

Voice
The Superb Starling has a long and loud song consisting of trills and chatters. At midday it gives a softer song of repeated phrases. There are several harsh calls, the most complex of which is described as "a shrill, screeching skerrrreeee-cherrrroo-tcherreeeeeet."

(Sources: ‘Wikipedia’ and ‘Birds of Africa, South of the Sahara’ by I Sinclair and P Ryan; and birdlife.org)

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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To Argus: Rare birdsPeterZ 1 10-07 07:40
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Critiques [Translate]

hallo Buurman Peter
super opname
zo goed van scherpte en mooi licht op de veren
de kleuren zijn prachtig
mooie compositie
great shot
groetjes lou

Hello Peter,
a wonderful picture of this bird taken from an excellent POV in a fantastic pose, very good sharpness and splendid colours.
TFS
Best regards
Maurizio

Hello Peter,
This bird has beautiful plumage. A lovely moment that you capture. Very nice composition and well seen.
JC

Peter
What a angry starling!!!
Great details, lovely colors, wonderful capture.
Mariana

  • Great 
  • joska Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 407 W: 0 N: 1011] (5460)
  • [2009-10-06 8:25]

Excellent photo of this rare Bird species, very good presentation to!TFS!

  • Great 
  • roges Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 598 W: 0 N: 523] (3096)
  • [2009-10-06 8:39]

Hi Peter,

U volkomen gelijk! Superb! En vogel-en beeld-en spelen, maar alles is mooi. Felicitaties.
Een leuke dag,
Adrian

Ciao Peter, splendid bird in nice singing pose, fantastic metallic colors, splendid sharpness, fine details and wonderful blurry BG, very well done, ciao Silvio

Buena imagen con gran nitidez y excelente colorido metalico
Buen trabajo
un saludo

Hello Peter,

An excellent capture with striking coloration, sharpness & fine details. Great POV, pose & BG.

Very nicely done & TFS.

Best wishes

Umar

Your story leaves me distressed, Peter.
The picture of this unusual Starling is so beautiful the words cannot describe it.
It would be such a pity if the world had to lose this species forever.
Regards.
Ram

Hi Peter.
Wonderful picture of this colored bird, excellent POV
TFS. Ferran

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2908 W: 34 N: 8625] (32146)
  • [2009-10-06 10:26]

Hi Peter. The name is just right for this picture. What a beautiful bird. Which your picture shows sowell with the birds mouth wide open. Your sharp focusing shows the fien detail in the colourful feathers. All with interesting notes. well done TFS.
Nick..

Hi Peter,

Magnificent capture of this lovely and beautifully coloured Superb starling with his beak opened wide in song. Great pose you captured.
TFS and have a nice night!
Cheers,

Bayram

  • Great 
  • siggi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1373 W: 56 N: 4723] (16252)
  • [2009-10-06 11:01]

Hello Peter,
Excellent capture of this beautiful bird.
Amazing colours and very sharp details,great composition and good work on DOF.
Thanks for sharing!Best regards Siggi

Hello Peter,
Indeed the name "Superb Starling" are suitable. The bird is very beautiful.
Wonderful colours and composition. Very sharp image. It's sad because the winter is knoking on the door and the birds will die.
Marius.

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2009-10-06 12:22]

Hi Peter,great moment to take this bird,it seem to hear the song..ehehe...spectaculars colors of the plums and impressive sharpness too,thanks for share,have a nice day,LUCIANO

Ciao Peter. An impressive portrait for this molticoloured bird. The eye like of a crazy one... Fantastic shot.

Roberto

  • Great 
  • cirano Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 656 W: 0 N: 228] (4942)
  • [2009-10-06 14:11]

Slav Peter,
Superb capture of this superb starling.Great POV,sharpness and colors.TFS.
Regards,
Dûrzan

Hi Peter,

Another lovely capture from the bird with superb clarity! Great colors with wonderful sharpness and caught from a nice POV.
The colors of the bird and the surroundings, are perfectly natural.
Wonderful work!

kind regards,
Paras

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2009-10-06 16:25]

Hi Peter,

What a sad story. Sometimes you have to wonder what in the world is wrong with people. I do hope the two recover completely and that the Starlings are found or returned. This Starling is certainly superb. A marvelous pose with the beak opened wide. The colors are magnificent and you show the face, eye and feathers is fine detail.

Jane

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 1 N: 5208] (17609)
  • [2009-10-06 19:12]

Hello Peter,
The image is stunning Peter, the text is disturbing. The color and details obtain by your excellent camera work are incredible, thank you for sharing Peter.
Rick

hello Peter

sad story on your notes, my French being better
i will say in French : « les êtres humains sont plus
bêtes que les animaux et oiseaux », it is realy sad,

an excellent photo of this Starling shot with fine POV
and framing, superb focus on it with great sharpness
and details, and a beautiful luminosity, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3066 W: 231 N: 6160] (21048)
  • [2009-10-06 21:26]

Wow, what a shot, Peter.
You did a fantastic job catching the metallic sheen on the feathers.
The colors are amazing.
The open beak and the bright eye really add to the visual impact.
Lovely DOF.
TFS. : )

Why would anyone rob birds?very sad to know that!
This is a superb shot with beautiful timing, Peter. I love the pose.
Bravo!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1723 W: 0 N: 3915] (15730)
  • [2009-10-07 4:51]

Hello Peter,
This is really an amazing story..I just wonder who can have the idea to steal birds. Happily these superb starlings came back. They really look special and are most beautiful with their metallic reflections. You also caught a very vivid pose. Interesting note too.
Thanks and kind regards
Anne

  • Great 
  • osse Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 962 W: 0 N: 89] (7801)
  • [2009-10-07 5:53]

Hi Peter
Sad story but great shot. Good colours, sharpnes and colours.
Well done

osse

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3816 W: 190 N: 11348] (34987)
  • [2009-10-07 7:15]
  • [+]

Hello Peter,
An excellent capture of a Superb Starling, a species that I didn't know was so rare! It's captivity in various aviaries around the world has probably the same effect as saving the Bali Starling, also a desirable booty for thieves. Avifauna is also the name of the Swedish ornitholical travel agency. and at first I thought you took a trip with them!
Nice, well composed shot of high technical standard. Thanks and I hope they catch the thieves!
Best wishes,
Ivan

Hallo Peter,

alweer een opname van een mooie spreeuw die ik vroeger in een voliere heb gehouden.
Prachtige opname met mooie kleuren.

Gert

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1057 W: 0 N: 162] (868)
  • [2009-10-07 11:54]

Hello Perter
Great shot of this pretty bird with nice details and composition.
TFS and G's,
Mehmet

Hello Peter, great shot of this lovely and colourful bird with nice pose.
TFS and regards, Bahadır

Hello Peter
this starling is really superb, he has so beautiful colors
i like his pose with head turned and beak open
great DOF and BG
have a good night
Jacqueline

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1351 W: 0 N: 5494] (16522)
  • [2009-10-07 15:05]

Hi Peter

Wonderful pose - the detail and colours are excellent too. Good pov also.

James

Excelente captura de esas difíciles texturas y tonalidades. La expresión del ave hábil y oportunamente captada. Un gran trabajo.
Saludos Peter.

hello Peter,
I see your last three posts newly. Each of them great. this is also wonderful capture for rare Starling species. sharp focus, POV, exposure and colors great. but also eyes contact, timing and notes great to read. thanks for sharing this beauty with good information. best wishes
Ahmet

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1339 W: 0 N: 2575] (9083)
  • [2009-10-10 6:08]

Hi Peter,
superbs colours and lovely pose in great sharpness.
The pose with mouth open is very lively and exciting.
Well moment captured in special presentation.

Regards,
Foozi

Hi Peter,
a very lively and stunningly colourful presentation. Bright blue iridescent feathers standing in strong contrast to the red belly - very effective use of flash to show that much depth of coloration. Well composed image, too. The fact that the bird was taken in captivity does not show up in the image which is looking perfectly natural.
Sad story that you are telling about your bird park.
Perfect description of the species in your notes.
Thank you! With best regards,
Peter

Bonjour Peter
Bravo pour cet oiseau au teintes particulières
Merci pour la qualité de ta photo
Amicalement
Laurent

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