Dancing in the sky!!
(click on image to play video)
A starling murmuration is one of nature’s most mesmerizing phenomena—when thousands (sometimes hundreds
of thousands) of starlings fly together in shifting, synchronized patterns across the sky.
The species most often associated with this spectacle is the European starling, common across Europe,
North America, and parts of Asia and Australia.
What Is a Murmuration?
A murmuration happens at dusk, typically in autumn and winter, just before the birds settle into their roosts. The flock forms fluid, wave-like#
shapes that twist and pulse as if they are a single living organism.
The word murmuration comes from the soft “murmuring” sound made by thousands of beating wings.
How Do They Coordinate So Precisely?
Starlings follow a few simple rules:
Each bird adjusts its movement based on its 7 closest neighbors
They maintain a consistent distance to avoid collisions
Rapid information transfer (like avoiding a predator) spreads almost instantly through the flock
This decentralized coordination is studied in physics and computer science to model swarm intelligence.
Why Do They Do It?
Main reasons include:
Protection from predators
Predators like the Peregrine falcon find it harder to target a single bird in a constantly shifting mass.
Warmth & Communication
Gathering before roosting helps them share information about food sources and stay warm in colder months.
