A small starling with dramatically different-looking sexes, although both sexes sport a distinctive dark bill and a lemon-yellow eye. The male is iridescent, ranging from plum-violet to purple-blue depending on the light, except for the white belly and vent. The female and juvenile have brown-streaked white bellies and darker brown-streaked upperparts. Pairs and small flocks occupy open woodland, riverine forest, and wooded parkland, where they feed on fruit and berries, being an important dispersal agent of mistletoes, although they also opportunistically take insects, particularly winged termites and ants. Some populations are resident, but most are migratory or nomadic.