# Starlings **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 10, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starlings/602483 "2011-11-10T05:08:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starlings/602483/1 "2011-11-10T05:08:06Z")
[Murmuration](http://vimeo.com/31158841) (warning: video with sound). I’ve watched this several times in awe. Beyond the birds, I like the music and the cool name of the videographer: Liberty Smith. Can anyone explain this phenomenon to me? Does it have something to do with air currents? Why do they do this? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starlings/602483/2 "2011-11-10T05:56:58Z")
That’s awesome. ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starlings/602483/3 "2011-11-10T05:58:39Z")
Wow. I have NO idea what causes it but that is one of the most awesome things I have ever seen in my life. Thank you so much for sharing! ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starlings/602483/4 "2011-11-10T06:34:08Z")
Wow… wonders of life. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starlings/602483/5 "2011-11-10T09:38:09Z")
Where I live this happens frequently at this time of year. It always occurs in the evening, just before they nest for the night. Why they do it isn’t fully understood, but [this is a good article](http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9175000/9175793.stm) on what we know about it so far. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starlings/602483/6 "2011-11-10T12:46:04Z")
After reading descriptions of beyond-gigantic passenger pigeon flocks, I wonder if this is a taste of what they were like. So wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starlings/602483/7 "2011-11-10T12:57:51Z")
Wow. That brought tears to my eyes. The reaction of the girl at the end is almost the best part to me. It’s obvious she just experienced the most awesome thing ever. Wow. Thanks for sharing this. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starlings/602483/8 "2011-11-10T16:46:16Z")
Serious wow to that video!