Mozart's Starling

An NPR Best Book of the Year

The unlikely and remarkable bond between one of history's most cherished composers and one of earth's most common birds.

"A heady hybrid of science, history, how-to and memoir" —Los Angeles Times

On May 27, 1784, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart met a flirtatious little starling in a Viennese shop who sang an improvised version of the theme from his Piano Concerto no. 17 in G major. Sensing a kindred spirit in the plucky young bird, Mozart bought him and took him home to be a family pet. For three years, the starling lived with Mozart, influencing his work and serving as his companion, distraction, consolation, and muse.

Two centuries later, starlings are reviled by even the most compassionate conservationists. A nonnative, invasive species, they invade sensitive habitats, outcompete local birds for nest sites and food, and decimate crops. A seasoned birder and naturalist, Lyanda Lynn Haupt is well versed in the difficult and often strained relationships these birds have with other species and the environment. But after rescuing a baby starling of her own, Haupt found herself enchanted by the same intelligence and playful spirit that had so charmed her favorite composer.

In Mozart's Starling, Haupt explores the unlikely and remarkable bond between one of history's most cherished composers and one of earth's most common birds. The intertwined stories of Mozart's beloved pet and Haupt's own starling is "a hard-to-put down, charming blend of science, biography, and memoir . . . brimming with starling information, travelogues, and historical details about Mozart's Vienna" (Booklist).

"Delightful and interesting." —Seattle Times

"Unusual and thoroughly engaging." —Toronto Star

"Shed[s] light on the connection between humans and birds—those of us bound to terra firma, and those who are free to soar." ―Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain