Wattled Starling

Common resident. A pale starling, male particularly so when breeding, at which time the head may be ornamented with yellow-and-black skin plus wattles (b); or have only the wattles (c). Female and non-breeding male (a) appear drab, but can be told by diagnostic white rump in flight. The call is a rasping, squeaky sound. Highly gregarious in dry grassland or open bushveld, often associating with cattle. Flocks feed on the ground. When breeding they build hundreds of nests colonially in thorn bushes; highly nomadic when not breeding.