Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania [United Republic of].
Breeds southern Ethiopia and north-western Somalia, probably also south-eastern Sudan and northern Kenya. Non-breeding eastern Kenya and southern Somalia.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Shelley's Starling (Lamprotornis shelleyi) [XC209999]
by Peter Boesman from Negele - Filtu Road, 32 km east of Negele, Ethiopia (song)
Shelley's Starling (Lamprotornis shelleyi) [XC294379]
by Peter Boesman from Bale, Oromia, Ethiopia (call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
May form a superspecies with and formerly considered conspecific with Hildebrandt's Starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti) and both have sometimes been combined in a superspecies with Chestnut-bellied Starling (Lamprotornis pulcher).