Golden-breasted Starling

Ashy Starling: photo Anabel HarriesThere is a very special bird, known by the name of Ashy Starling Cosmopsarus unicolor, who lives in the bushy baobab woodlands of Tanzania’s Tarangire National Park. This is a Tanzanian endemic bird. Bird watchers from all over the world make a special effort of getting to the main gate of Tarangire, even of going into Tarangire Safari Lodge, just for a brief meeting with this bird. The Ashy Starlings are very tame, they live a safe and comfortable life here, because ‘NN Security’ (that is national nature security!) protects the woodland that is their home. So tame in fact, that some of them walk with a cool and jaunty swagger, straight through the open door of the TSL café, each and every morning, heading straight for the cake and sugar!