Starling Murmuration – Why Do Starlings Murmurate?

Starling murmuration is a fascinating natural phenomenon that is a wonder to behold. The beautiful sight of them flocking and flying in perfect formation is something you don’t forget in a hurry once you’ve seen it, but arguably, the most interesting fact about murmuration is that starlings are the only species of birds who do it. Other birds flock together in large numbers and produce a similar visual effect, but their in-flight crowds lack the defining ‘murmur’ sound which makes a murmuration so iconic (and gives it its name!).

But why do starlings murmurate? This article aims to tell you everything you need to know.

What is a murmuration?

If you happen to be standing and observing the skyline, and you see a mysterious, swirling black cloud of birds heading towards you – you may be witnessing a murmuration. A murmuration is a flock of 500+ (though there can be thousands involved) starlings who are often arriving at their roosting site. Smaller flocks travel back to safer grounds in groups from different directions and will join up with one-another until they make one monumental, heaving flock.

The sheer number of birds is impressive to behold in itself, but it’s the shapes they make as they swarm and flit around each other in a co-ordinated whirlwind that is the real spectacle.

Why do starlings murmurate?

There are several theories on why starlings murmurate in such a way.

• Protection – Starling’s travel and live in packs to keep themselves protected. Murmuration is their way of scaring away any potential predators by creating threateningly large, ominous shapes that make them look unapproachable. This can be triggered by nearby hawks or falcons. The unique murmur that their wings make is another fear factor for predators and is one of the best ways that you can identify whether you are watching a murmuration, or a simple flock.

• Weather – The weather also has something to do with this strange habit. The reason starlings gather in their thousands as the weather deteriorates is down to survival. Sticking together during the cold and bitter weather is a way to keep warm and protected. As the murmuration dies down, smaller groups of starlings will separate and make their way to their roosts. Here, they can relax knowing that they are safe from any predators that might have been prowling their territory looking for an easy snack, and they can rely on the body heat of their roost mates to keep the chill off.

How do they do it?

The ancient Chinese philosopher Laozi, the original architect of Daoism, once said that “when oneness was attained by creatures and things, their lives were perpetuated.” It all boils down to a concept known as scale-free correlation. However, what sounds like a very complex notion is actually quite simple. Imagine the movement of snow just before an avalanche, where movement cascades from a preceding trigger into an inevitable direction. This simple movement, which is correlated beyond the immediate surroundings, is scaled to a larger interconnected movement across an unquantified size. In Starling terms, the bird’s movement has more than just an influence on its immediate neighbours. It spreads far out among the flock.

One incredibly interesting fact that has emerged from recent research is that the movement of a Starling only affects the movement of the closest seven surrounding birds. The closest statistical analogy is that of magnetism, where various particles align in a single direction as the metals become magnetised. Apparently, a similar thing occurs when a starling moves.

Andrea Cavagna and colleagues at the University of Rome found that the Starling groups “respond as one”, and “cannot be divided into independent subparts”. When a single Starling changes direction or speed, the whole flock responds as if information has spread in real-time across the flock.

Incredible.

When do starlings murmurate?

Most of the starlings in the UK are resident birds, meaning that they stay here all year round – but starling populations are inflated when migratory birds from Europe come to join their ranks, pushed across by strong Easterly winds.

You’ll see starling murmuration happen as they begin to roost, and their numbers start to swell in September to November. The most impressive murmuration displays occur in December/January when starling numbers are at their highest. Murmuration occurs until about March, or when the weather starts to warm up.

You will usually catch them murmurating as the sun sets at around dusk, as this is when they return to their roosting grounds to settle in for the night. It is also worth visiting a roosting site in the morning to witness the starlings take off into flight.

Where can you see a murmuration?

Starlings murmurate where they roost, so you are best heading to one of their many roost sites to view the spectacle. There are several roosting locations in the UK that are popular with birdwatchers and sightseers[i], here are some of the most popular:

• Sussex – Brighton Pier
• Lancashire – Leighton Moss
• Suffolk – Minsmere
• Cambridgeshire – Fen Drayton
• Ceredigion – Aberystwyth Pier
• Somerset – Shapwich Health

You can see all starling murmuration locations below

Click here for the interactive map

What is the difference between a flock and a murmuration?

Murmuration is the same as flocking, with a couple of key differences. Starlings murmurate in much denser, bigger groups than other species of birds that flock. They also tend to ‘dance’ and move around a lot more in an aerobic display, rather than flying together towards one direction. The most notable feature of murmuration, however, is the deep, low murmur that can be heard from a murmurating crowd if you are stood nearby.

Several bird species naturally flock as they fly from location to location. Some of these species include:

• Robins
• Blackbirds
• Shorebirds like dunlin
• Pigeons
• Cranes

You might also see swans, waterfowl, and geese flying in a V formation to conserve energy, but their flock numbers are nowhere near as impressive.

Read More: All about the Starling

Sources

[i] https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2018/11/starling-murmurations/

Try out interactive Starling

Simply hover over the image to learn more about the Starling.