A murmuration of starlings

I’ve discovered that there is an entire subgenre of YouTube videos on starling murmuration. This one that I’m sharing with you is short, has an exciting raptor cameo, and David Tennant, but it was hard to choose among them. I highly recommend getting lost among the starlings today.

As the poet Mary Oliver wrote in “Starlings in Winter” by (Owls and Other Fantasies: Poems and Essays), “Ah, world, what lessons you prepare for us.”

And murmuration–isn’t that a fantastic word?

Leave a comment

6 Comments

  1. Oh my! that was fascinating.
    I never knew starlings were so clever. They are a regular visitor to our feeders in winter. I think I’ll put out some extra treats in thanks for their aerobatic show.
    Thanks for posting this
    Marieann

  2. I see these flocks quite a bit here in the rural midwest in fall and winter, and they are always stunning. Sometimes a flock will straddle the road, and it is always an experience to drive through, with the birds flying in a sort of sideways tornado fashion above me. I believe they are not just starlings, but grackles as well around here. I am always thrilled to see the flocks, and their murmurations, but I wonder how many people don’t even pay attention.

  3. I’ve never seen flocks of starlings that big. But I did see a merlin nail one in mid-flight. I think he surprised it because the starling was just flying normally and suddenly it was gone, the merlin was zooming away and two little feathers were slowly zig-zagging down to the snow.

  4. I have thousands of starlings that land in my yard. I hate they are out there pooping, but their sound and formations are absolutely astounding. There is a large field across the street, so they seem to like this end of the neighborhood. It is not so large as the ones you give us. I wonder if mine are part of a larger group. Some days the flock covers the whole three blocks of this street and the field.

Comments are closed.