
photo: Robbie Phelan

photo: Jean-Michel Fenerole, oiseaux.net

photo: Ion Moe
Status: Least Concern
Here’s the unbelievably striking Amethyst Starling or Violet-backed Starling (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster). The purple and indigo feathers are quite a sight to behold amongst the common greens and browns found in its grassy environment. It almost looks like the colors of a galaxy are trapped within each iridescent feather. Iridescence in bird feathers is due to microstructures of the feather refracting light much like a prism. According to fossil evidence, birds have had these structures in their feathers for at least 40 million years.
However, the above photos are only of male Amethyst Starlings… take a peak at the female:

photo: Doug Janson