Golden Starlings

On March 16, 1980 in Central Park in New York, 60 European starlings were released.  The plan was to introduce every species of bird mentioned in the works of Shakespeare.  Today millions breed across North America.  Starlings were admired for their song and their colorful plumage, sparkling in sunlight.  But they started to displace native birds.

Volunteering at the Wildlife Center of Texas, I watched each spring’s steady intake of baby birds and fledglings that had fallen from nests.  Only allowed to admit native species to the facility, starlings were turned away.  There were a few volunteers that would take them home and raise them.

There are contemporary, award-winning books written about starlings.  Instagram and YouTube regularly feature their hypnotic murmurations.  Yet they are unloved by many.

One’s view of starlings in this country often reflects the narrative told of other immigrants in this country.  I started a series of paintings and collages with them that I continue working on.