Starlings Murmurate at Dusk

  • by Amy Earls

    • An aerial dance across the November sky.

    Tuesday, November 18, 2025

    Grey and heavily overcast with misty clouds hanging low over the city. The rainfall, sometimes soft other times more intense, was accompanied by numerous lightning strikes. One of which was very close by… I was started by its sudden flash and loud burst of thunder. Humid and foggy conditions continued overnight into the next day.

    Lightning. Image from Unsplash.com; Photo Credit: Bryan Carrion

    November 20, 2025

    Leaves keep flying past the window panes. Most of the trees are now bare. The landscape went from tired greens and lingering yellows to dull brown in a span of about two weeks. Today is looking like another cloudy and overcast day with lingering foggy clouds, currently 52°F. I am enjoying the lower light and cozy vibes that make me want to curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book. Gladly accepting book recommendations!

    Murmuration. Image from Unsplash.com; Photo Credit: James Wainscoat

    Starlings Flock

    It’s evening, the Starlings are gathering to roost for the night. I even saw a brief murmuration as a small flock settled into the treetops of the neighboring hill. In case you were wondering, a murmuration is, “a large gathering of starlings creating intricate (often undulating) patterns during flight,” according to Oxford Languages. It can be quite mesmerizing to watch this aerial display. How in the world do they fly as a giant synchronized swarm like that? Simply fascinating.

    As you may have guessed, the Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris), also known as the European Starling, is not native to North America. Unfortunately, they can have a negative impact on local bird species, such as swallows and woodpeckers, due to competition over nesting locations1. In fact, Starlings are in the top 100 list of worst invasive species, noting that, “Sturnus vulgaris cost hundreds of millions of dollars in agricultural damage each year and contribute to the decline of local native bird species through competition for resources and nesting spaces.2” I didn’t know they had such a poor reputation!

    Common Starling. Image from Pixabay.com; Photo Credit: TheOtherKev

    Facts About Starlings

    • Starlings have dark, glossy, iridescent plumage with white speckles. Not to be confused with the Common Grackle (Quiscalas quiscula), which does not have spots but is also iridescent.
    • Their beaks change color depending on the season. During breeding season their beaks turn yellow, where as in the winter they are a dull grey.
    • Some sources say that they were first introduced to North America on account of Shakespeare3.
    • Starlings are “vocal mimics,” who can copy the songs of up to 20 different bird species.
    • Their North American population is estimated at 93 million birds4.
    • They are highly gregarious and can form enormous flocks (up to roughly 50 thousand individuals) during the fall and winter months.
    • They can fly at speeds of approximately 37 to 50 mph.
    • The eggs of the Starling are a lovely light blue color.
    • Starlings are considered “aggressive omnivores” that are largely insectivorous. Their diet consists of insects, earthworms, snails, lizards, amphibians, grains, seeds, fruits, as well as food waste “if the opportunity arises.”5
    • Mozart had a pet Starling for about three years6.
    Common Starling. Image from Unsplash.com; Photo Credit: Andrey Strizhkov

    Friday, November 21, 2025

    Another dark overcast day of quietude and repose. It’s not raining per say, but there are heavily laden misty clouds gently drenching everything and obscuring the distant horizon line. The honeysuckle bushes refuse to shed their conspicuous green leaves, which seem very out of place when everything else is either yellowed or bare. A brash and overbearing plant staying true to it’s nature.

    Later in the day, it seems the mist has finally turned to rain, but it’s so soft that I cannot hear it falling. Whilst on the topic of hearing things, there has been no thunder today. The cats are pleased by this. I am grateful that I do not have to leave the house in this kind of weather. Wherever you are, I hope you can take a moment to pause, appreciate the beauty around you, and be fully present. In this season of gratitude, make time to remember that life is a fleeting and precious thing that is well worth cherishing.

    Fog. Image from Unsplash.com; Photo Credit: Carl Schlabach

    “The starlings swooped, writing a poem across the heavens that only God could read.”

    – Catherine Gilbert Murdock
    1. Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_starling ↩︎
    2. Global Invasive Species Database – https://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/100_worst.php ↩︎
    3. Audubon Community Nature Center – https://auduboncnc.org/a-common-starling/ ↩︎
    4. All About Birds – https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/overview ↩︎
    5. Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_starling ↩︎
    6. Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozart%27s_starling ↩︎

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