# Flock behavior

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flock-behavior/400375>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 16, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flock-behavior/400375 "2007-04-16T19:25:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wbillbush](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9de0a6/32.png) [@wbillbush](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wbillbush)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flock-behavior/400375/1 "2007-04-16T19:25:59Z")

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There is a technical term for the movement of bird flocks and fish schools when the turn as one or as previously described as emergent behavior in waves.

Can you tell me the word?

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**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flock-behavior/400375/2 "2007-04-16T19:33:09Z")

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I’ve heard this described as “wheeling,” but that’s not a very technical term.

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**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flock-behavior/400375/3 "2007-04-16T19:44:32Z")

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Flocking?

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**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flock-behavior/400375/4 "2007-04-16T19:46:08Z")

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[The Staff Report](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mflockswoop.html) on this behavior.

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**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flock-behavior/400375/5 "2007-04-17T03:10:24Z")

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[QUOTE=Plynck]  
[The Staff Report](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mflockswoop.html) on this behavior.  
[/QUOTE]

Ah yes, you can always count on **Colibri** to answer the flocking question.

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**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flock-behavior/400375/6 "2007-04-17T03:16:19Z")

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Regarding the OP, offhand I can’t think of a specific term aside from flocking behavior, schooling behavior, or emergent collective behavior. The latter, however, can refer to other kinds of behavior besides flocking.

[QUOTE=Billdo]  
Ah yes, you can always count on **Colibri** to answer the flocking question.  
[/QUOTE]

😃