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examples
Murmuration Examples
Visual examples of collective swirling movement
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A murmuration of starlings sweeps across the dusk sky like living smoke.
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Visual examples of collective swirling movement
A murmuration of starlings sweeps across the dusk sky like living smoke.
Swirling flock movement; low collective sound
At dusk, thousands of starlings rise from their roosts. They swirl, twist, and pulse across the sky—a living cloud that expands, contracts, and flows like smoke. This is a murmuration.
No leader directs them. Each bird follows simple rules: stay close, align with neighbors, avoid collision. From these simple rules, breathtaking patterns emerge.
Test your understanding of murmuration in context
Scientists study murmurations to understand: