The Starling
  • Published: 3 October 2024
  • ISBN: 9781529926408
  • Imprint: Vintage Digital
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 208

The Starling

A Biography

Formats & editions
Hardback
3 Nov 2024
EBook
3 Oct 2024
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A beautiful gift-worthy addition to every nature-lover and birdwatcher's library.

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.
  • Published: 3 October 2024
  • ISBN: 9781529926408
  • Imprint: Vintage Digital
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 208
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About the author

Stephen Moss

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. His books include The Wren, The Robin, Mrs Moreau’s Warbler and Wonderland. 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.

portrait photo of Stephen Moss

Also by Stephen Moss

The Owl
The Swan
The Swallow
The Twelve Birds of Christmas
The Wren
Dynasties
The Robin
See all

Praise for The Starling

Stephen Moss delights once more - lyrical and informative by turns, he conjures - with breathless eloquence - another feathered beauty of our skies.

Benedict Allen, author of 'Explorer' and 'Into the Abyss'

A murmuration of starlings is a wonder of the natural world, one of my highlights of the year. I love the way Stephen Moss writes about this fascinating bird in the engaging way he does in all his biographies.

Martha Kearney

An engrossing compilation of ornithological tidbits, cultural anecdotes, literary quotes and well chosen historical artwork

BBC Wildlife, *Books of the Year*

As I finished reading this wonderful book, I found myself more convinced than ever that the starling is a favourite bird – not least because it mirrors something of us: fallen, certainly, but capable of glimpses of a prelapsarian state

Church Times
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