2024 April 28 Multilingual Starling Murmurations

I’m watching the Starlings poking around in the park field across the street. I’m seeing Starlings but hearing Chimney Swifts. They all fly off making Chimney Swift calls. Even the Merlin birdsong app picked up Chimney Swifts. I knew individual Starlings make all kinds of bird sounds, but what makes the whole group speak Chimney Swift? Then I do see a Chimney Swift a bit later over the park. 

I know a group of Starlings flying beautifully together is called a murmuration. I love that word. My former English coteacher, Charles Ellenbogen, asked for a word for his birthday yesterday. I just sent him “murmuration” with a gif and a happy birthday. I hope he forgives me being a day late.

Some people say European Starlings are annoying and “invasive”. I wish I could remember who it was in a “BIPOC Birding” webinar I watched. She was a Black woman and she pushed back against Americans hating on Starlings. She made the connection that they were brought here against their will and hated for thriving, just like Black people were brought here and face discrimination today despite thriving. Then she went on to describe the beauty of Starling murmurations. It’s so important to listen to diverse opinions all the time. Perspective is golden. 

Among other languages the Starlings are chatting, I just heard Eastern Meadowlark and Cedar Waxwing. Confirmed by Merlin. It’s extremely rare around here to see these birds. I’m seeing who is singing those tunes. Definitely Starlings. 

It makes sense though. My European friends are all multilingual. It’s not really a surprise then, that a Starling would have to pick up some local dialects when they move to America. Can we just take a moment to acknowledge how awesome it is to have a nonnative bird speaking American bird languages fluently?

I wish my ancestors had taken the time to learn to speak the Native American languages fluently. Imagine how different our lives in America would be if they had naturalized to the languages and cultures that were here when they arrived. 

Even the collective names for Starlings have a range of connotations. I will never call a group of Starlings a “filth”. That just makes me sad.