Golden-breasted Starling / Lamprotornis regius

This photo was taken at the Calgary Zoo on 6 October 2015, the last time I visited. SInce then, my usual parking lot has been closed (for the winter} and now for construction in the area while the old bridge I always use is replaced and won't be ready till 2017. I would have to use the north parking lot, which is totally out of my driving comfort zone.

I have posted three previous photos of this beautiful tropical bird, but this is the first image that shows the whole bird and its very long, narrow tail. The first time I ever saw this beautifu bird, it took my breath away. Have added a previously posted, closer view in a comment box below.

"The golden-breasted starling (Lamprotornis regius), also known as royal starling, is a medium-sized, up to 35 cm long, passerine in the starling family. It is distributed in the grassland, savannah and shrubland of East Africa, from Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and northern Tanzania.

The adult has a metallic green head and upper back, bright golden yellow breast and belly, dark bill and legs, white iris and metallic violet blue on wings, back, neck and its long tail feathers. Both sexes are similar. The young are duller than the adult.

The golden-breasted starling is a social animal, living in groups of three to twelve individuals."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden-breasted_starling

Later, I just discovered a Calgary Sun newspaper article from 23 June 2015, about a family that discovered this bird (or a different individual - I seem to remember seeing two of these birds when I was at the Zoo a few days ago) that had escaped from the Zoo. Actually, this story reminded me that when I was in a small store a couple of days ago, buying a new pedometer, a Magpie flew in through the open door and perched on the counter by the till : ) The sales woman was surprised when I told her about her unexpected visitor!

www.calgarysun.com/2015/06/23/inglewood-family-helps-calg...