I remember walking past a lake near my home, the air cool in the early summer morning, when a thwomp resounded and a huge swarm of birds lifted off, flying right over my head. This wasn’t my first encounter with the starling migration, nor was it my last, but it was astonishing – which has been characteristic of my every encounter. From the noisy chirping in the trees to never-ending flocks in the sky, the starling migration is an incredible natural feat that occurs several times each year. 

In late January I was outside and saw the starling migration again. I remember staring up at the sky for what must have been five minutes. It was incredible. Thousands of birds can be seen in every swarm, the sky black for an unreasonable amount of time. In February, I saw other murmurations, starling flocks, flying over route 4 on my way to school. Others have had similar experiences. “I thought it was water or some machine and they came,” said Junior Quindin Koscinski, “The flock was humongous as it flew over me and my brothers’ heads and we were in awe at the sound they were emitting.” Said Junior Grayson Olsen, “They were all perched in trees in my backyard and it was really loud.” Said Junior Thaddeus Holston, “It was pretty terrifying as I heard multiple sounds hit the car and looked up and saw a cloudy windshield and a bunch of black birds above me. It was like the trees had sprouted different colored leaves in the middle of winter.” Senior Jeremy King spoke candidly, saying, “It looked like a black cloud.” 

Accounts behind the European starling’s introduction to North America vary, but the general consensus is that, in 1890, Shakespearian enthusiasts attempting to introduce all the animals mentioned in Shakespeare’s writings to North America released a flock of sixty birds into Central Park in New York City. The original flock has multiplied throughout the continent in the last century, and it is estimated that 250,000,000 now live in North America. Birds in northern territories migrate seasonally, and are iconic for their noise and massive, cloud-like flocks. Photographers such as Søren Solkær have captured incredible images of starling murmurations. Words are inadequate to describe the enormity of these flocks, one must see to fully comprehend their grandeur.