This is a video of 300,000 Starling. These birds are typically considered an annoyance because of the great abundance of them in North America. This story sheds light to another side of this bird…
I once was witness to a young boy shooting a female starling. I have never forgotten what happened next. A larger male starling, obviously her mate, landed next to the dead female and sounded a distress call, flapping its wings in challenge. It put itself at risk with its courage. The boy didn’t shoot the bird, but slowly approached. The male starling stood his ground, trying to protect his mate. Finally, when the boy was just a few feet away, the grieving bird flew off. Here was a bird that is considered a common pest, that is poisoned by the thousands, clearly showing signs of loyalty and courage.