Bristle-crowned Starling (Onychognathus salvadorii)

Bristle-crowned Starling (Onyghognathus salvadorii)_20180109_064941_75270
Photo by Juhani Vilpo
Bristle-crowned Starling (Onyghognathus salvadorii)_20180109_132451_75660
Photo by Juhani Vilpo

Bristle-crowned Starling is an elegant looking bird appearing mostly in dry bush land  habitat of Samburu, Marsabit and Lake Baringo. It is mostly found in cliffs, gouges and near water.

It is a very large starling with a very long graduating tail and a black forehead with a small cushion bristle forehead feathers. Its overall appprearences is black with reddish-brown primaries. Females have a short-tail and some grayish feathers around the eye and on ear-coverts.Juveniles are duller with only a faint gloss.

Bird watching on the shores of Lake Baringo, Kenya

An early morning birding at the shore of Lake Baringo and the adjacent bushes nearby resulted in an impressive species list, and the most exciting one were:
Lake Baringo
Birding on the shores of Baringo
1.Yellow-crowned Bishop,  Euplectes afer
2.Northern Red Bishop,  Euplectes franciscanus
3.Northern Masked Weaver,  Ploceus taeniopterus
4.Brown Babbler,  Turdoides jardineii
5.Pale Prinia,  Prinia somalica
6.Grey Wren-Warbler,  Calamonastes simplex
7. Red-fronted Warbler, Heliolais erythroptera
and the bird of the day…..
Magpie Starling,  Speculipastor bicolor
– Joe