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A year in the life of one of our most talented and surprising garden birds, the starling, beautifully composed by the bestselling author of The Robin, The Wren, and The Owl. Discover the fascinating lives of some of the most brilliant musical minds and master choreographers in the avian world.
Even with its beautiful iridescent plumage and magical gift to mimic both human and natural sounds, this common garden bird can often be overlooked. But as they come together in their thousands to display their unique ability to perform dazzling aerial manoeuvres known as murmurations, starlings are nothing short of breathtaking. This is the captivating story of how starlings have shaped our world, from influencing agriculture and inspiring musicians such as Mozart and writers such as Shakespeare, to their impact as an invasive species in North America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
With beautiful illustrations throughout, and an expert guide to the most magnificent murmurations in the UK, this eye-opening biography reveals the hidden secrets of one of our most talented and luminous birds.
Stephen Moss is a naturalist, author and broadcaster. In a distinguished career at the BBC Natural History Unit his credits included Springwatch, Birds Britannia and The Nature of Britain. He is the president of the Somerset Wildlife Trust and a senior lecturer in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University. Originally from London, he now lives with his wife and children on the Somerset Levels. His books include The Robin, The Wren, The Twelve Birds of Christmas, The Swallow, The Swan, and The Owl.
"Stephen Moss delights once more"
– Benedict Allen
"I love the way Stephen Moss writes about this fascinating bird"
– Martha Kearney
