by Nathaniel G
A murmuration is when large numbers of birds twist and swirl across the sky like a shapeshifter.
The most common form of murmuration in the UK is made up of flocks of starlings.
The name comes from the noise that is made by the many flapping wings of a group of starlings in flight.
Locally and around sunset, you can often see a starling murmuration over South Parade Pier in Southsea.
It's not completely clear why starlings make a murmuration, but one theory is that it keeps them safe from predators.
Starlings follow easy rules of flight behaviour in a murmuration: matching their flight speed and pattern to the bird next to them. If one bird changes direction, so do up to 7 birds nearby and so the pattern of murmuration is made.
Murmurations have no leading bird in the pack. The murmuration is a collective coordination of behaviour: a good example for adults to follow too.
Typically, starling murmurations happen from October to March. This is when there is a peak in numbers, with migration from Europe.
In Ancient Rome, religious people studied the patterns of murmuration to see if the gods were content or not.
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