“Starlings art inevitably an integral part of a visit to the Kruger.”
Starlings are medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae, a name derived from sturnus, the Latin word for starling. There are 120 species world-wide of which 42 are found in Africa. They occupy a wide range of vegetation types but avoid the dry, sandy deserts.
! They are not found in the Americas, except as introduced aliens, and South Africa has also been the unfortunate ‘recipient’ of two alien invasive starlings — the common or European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) introduced from Europe by Cecil Rhodes, and the common myna from Asia. The common starling has become abundant in the Cape and its range is expanding, but has not reached the Kruger National Park. The myna on the other hand has recently colonised the Park, causing some concern as to the possible long-term consequences for some species comprising the Park’s avifauna.
