Welcome to Storytime! Today Dawn is reading One Dark Bird by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon. It’s a counting book that describes a beautiful strategy starlings use to protect themselves.
Have you ever seen a murmuration? Here’s what they look like, a perfectly timed acrobatic flight of thousands of starlings.
That is a lot of birds!
This short clip explains how the birds manage to move all together and swarm like this.
Parent Tip
We couldn’t possibly count all the birds in a murmuration but like in the story it is important to count forward and backward with your child from a variety of starting points. This will help them understand the size of a number in relation to other numbers.
More Fun
Starlings are iridescent birds – they are black but when the sun shines on them, their feathers reflect a multitude of colors. Use chalk to draw these colorful birds from Glued to My Crafts.
You can also create some cute birds using shapes of different colors.
If you liked the starling video, you might also enjoy watching birds in your own backyard. Here’s a simple feeder you can make to attract them.
Thanks for watching storytime today! Here are some more stories about birds you might enjoy until next time.
Dawn Buttery
Dawn's favorite thing about being an outreach storyteller is getting young children excited about reading & learning! When she isn't out telling stories or helping you find just the right book at the library, she is reading or using what she's read to enjoy her hobbies. You may see her out with her camera taking pictures or walking her dog Honey. She also loves cooking with the fresh herbs in her garden.