Every fall, thousands of these birds gather in the sky above Scotland, where they dart and dance in mesmerizing fractals.
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| image credit Walter Baxter |
Even complex math equations can't explain why or even how the birds manage to swing through the air in such a finely-tuned unison, explains Time magazine.
No one knows why they do it. Yet each fall, thousands of starlings dance in the twilight above Gretna, Scotland. The birds gather in magical shape-shifting flocks called murmurations, having migrated in the millions from Russia and Scandinavia to escape winter’s bite. Scientists aren’t sure how they do it, either. Even complex algorithmic models haven’t yet explained the starlings’ acrobatics, which rely on the tiny bird’s quicksilver reaction time of under 100 milliseconds to avoid aerial collisions—and predators—in the giant flock. Despite their show of force in the dusky sky, starlings have declined significantly in the UK in recent years, perhaps because of a drop in nesting sites. The birds still roost in several of Britain’s rural pastures, however, settling down to sleep (and chatter) after the evening’s ballet.
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| photo credit pixabay.com |
Perhaps they're just showing off. After all, if I could react with such lightning speed to avoid bonking swarms of birds flying all around me, I'd want to boast, too. Murmuration is the perfect word.
The women who captured the kaleidoscopic display on camera express sheer delight after accidentally stumbling upon the birds while canoeing. And their joy at witnessing such a unique occurrence only adds to the viewing pleasure.
Interesting facts about starlings
With a short tail, pointed head, triangular wings, starlings look black at a distance but when seen closer they are very glossy with a shine of purples and greens. Their flight is fast and direct and they walk and run confidently on the ground. Noisy and outgoing, starlings spend a lot of the year in flocks.
- Both males and females can mimic human speech. (Some people keep starlings as pets). Some starlings also imitate the song of many other birds.
- An estimated 1/3 to 1/2 of returning females nest in the same box or area in consecutive years.
- A starling couple can build a nest in 1-3 days. Both sexes incubate.
- A migrating flock can number 100,000 birds. They roost communally in flocks that may contain as many as a million birds.
- Each year, starlings cause an estimated $800 million in damages to agricultural crops
- Starlings are very aggressive and will drive native birds out of their territory.
