{"id":174103,"date":"2025-12-30T14:52:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T14:52:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.natgeokids.com\/uk\/?p=174103"},"modified":"2026-01-05T12:40:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T12:40:11","slug":"starling-murmurations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.natgeokids.com\/uk\/discover\/animals\/birds\/starling-murmurations\/","title":{"rendered":"Starling murmuration facts!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it&#8217;s a starling murmuration! Come on gang, let&#8217;s learn all about these amazing aerial antics&#8230;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is a murmuration?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_2.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"635\" height=\"404\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_2.png\" alt=\"A starling murmuration against a yellow sunset. A pier is in the left corner, and the birds are flying over the sea.\" class=\"wp-image-176274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_2.png 635w, https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_2-300x191.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Murmuration isn&#8217;t <em>just <\/em>a fun word to say \u2013 it&#8217;s also an incredible <strong>natural phenomenon<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine yourself stood out in the countryside, perhaps by a <strong>reed bed<\/strong>, near the sea on a large <strong>pier, <\/strong>or even on a <strong>tall hill <\/strong>in a <strong>city<\/strong>. Suddenly, you spot <strong>thousands<\/strong> <strong>of starlings<\/strong>, all flying together in a <strong>whirling, ever-changing pattern<\/strong>. The flock <strong>moves together as one<\/strong>, as smooth and fluid as running water. They fly as <strong>one huge mass<\/strong> that <strong>twists, turns<\/strong>, and <strong>changes direction<\/strong> at a moment&#8217;s notice! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That&#8217;s what seeing a<strong> murmuration<\/strong> is like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wait, what&#8217;s a starling?!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_5.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"635\" height=\"404\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_5.png\" alt=\"A bird with shiny black, green, and purple feathers sits in a bush with red berries on.\" class=\"wp-image-176277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_5.png 635w, https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_5-300x191.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Starlings are <strong>small garden birds<\/strong>. They&#8217;re pretty <strong>common<\/strong>, so you might be lucky enough to spot some in your <strong>garden<\/strong>, or other <strong>local green spaces<\/strong>!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their plumage looks <strong>black<\/strong> from a distance, but if you look <strong>closely<\/strong> you&#8217;ll see that starlings are very <strong>glossy <\/strong>birds, with a <strong>sheen of purple and green feathers<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These <strong>chatty <\/strong>birds spend a lot of their time in <strong>flocks<\/strong>, especially around the <strong>breeding and nesting seasons<\/strong>, or when they&#8217;re gathering to <strong>roost<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why do starlings murmurate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_4.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"635\" height=\"404\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_4.png\" alt=\"A close up of the head of a peregrine falcon. Its beak is open, and it has a black head and white chest.\" class=\"wp-image-176276\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_4.png 635w, https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_4-300x191.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a few reasons why birds group together in huge flocks. Firstly, there&#8217;s <strong>safety in numbers<\/strong>. It&#8217;s much harder for <strong>predators <\/strong>like the speedy <strong>peregrine falcon <\/strong>to single out a particular bird when they&#8217;re all flying together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even within the murmuration, starlings move around. No one wants to be at the <strong>edge of the flock <\/strong>for too long, as this is where they are most <strong>vulnerable <\/strong>to predators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote has-text-align-center is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Find out how starlings manage to move around without crashing into each other in our article about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natgeokids.com\/uk\/discover\/science\/nature\/birds-flock\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">flocks<\/a>!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Starlings also gather together to <strong>keep warm<\/strong> and <strong>exchange important information<\/strong> \u2013&nbsp;keeping up connections is key when you&#8217;re a bird! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_3.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"635\" height=\"404\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_3.png\" alt=\"A group of starlings sit in a row along a telephone wire.\" class=\"wp-image-176275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_3.png 635w, https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_3-300x191.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Are starlings the only birds that murmurate?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In short: <strong>no<\/strong>! Lots of other birds <strong>flock<\/strong> together in groups that are similar to starling murmurations. Plus, other animals like <strong>fish <\/strong>show similar <strong>swarm behaviours<\/strong>, where big groups come together to protect themselves using the same <strong>&#8216;safety in numbers&#8217; <\/strong>tactic that starlings do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the term &#8216;<strong>murmuration<\/strong>&#8216; is used specifically to describe groups of starlings, because of the elegant way that their flocks move, and the beautiful <strong>sky art <\/strong>that they accidentally create!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where and when to see starling murmurations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_1.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"635\" height=\"404\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_1.png\" alt=\"A starling murmuration passes over a broken structure in the ocean.\" class=\"wp-image-176273\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_1.png 635w, https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_1-300x191.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Starlings begin to <strong>roost<\/strong> in huge flocks after their <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.natgeokids.com\/uk\/discover\/science\/nature\/signs-of-spring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">spring<\/a> nesting season <\/strong>is over. More and more birds will gather together as the weeks go on and eventually, the flocks can reach numbers of up to <strong>100,000<\/strong> birds!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The biggest and most incredible starling murmurations happen in <strong>winter<\/strong>, when the birds are roosting in huge numbers. You can sometimes spot smaller murmurations earlier on in <strong>autumn<\/strong>, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The birds mainly choose to gather in <strong>safe <\/strong>and <strong>sheltered <\/strong>spots, that aren&#8217;t affected by <strong>harsh weather<\/strong> and which offer some protection from <strong>predators<\/strong>. These include <strong>woodlands, reed beds, cliffs, buildings<\/strong>, and other <strong>industrial structures<\/strong> like <strong>piers<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The murmurations will happen <strong>over <\/strong>these special gathering places, in the <strong>early evening <\/strong>before the birds land and roost for the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can I see a starling murmuration?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_6.png\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"635\" height=\"404\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_6.png\" alt=\"a starling murmuration. the birds have flocked together in the shape of a larger bird.\" class=\"wp-image-176278\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_6.png 635w, https:\/\/cdn.creatureandcoagency.com\/uploads\/2021\/03\/StarlingMurmuration_6-300x191.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you spot birds gathering, <strong>grab an adult<\/strong> and head out to somewhere with a <strong>good view<\/strong> just after the sun goes down. You don&#8217;t need any special equipment to spot a starling murmuration \u2013 just patience! <strong>Watch the skies<\/strong> and if you&#8217;re lucky, you might even spot an amazing murmuration, just like this one! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thanks to Huey Images, Hamish Duncan, Rhys Kentish, Steve Harvey, Elissar Haidar and James Crombie for the images used in this article.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\">Have you ever seen a starling murmuration? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!<\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it&#8217;s a starling murmuration! Come on gang, let&#8217;s learn all about these amazing aerial antics&#8230; What is a murmuration? Murmuration isn&#8217;t just a fun word to say \u2013 it&#8217;s also an incredible natural phenomenon! Imagine yourself stood out in the countryside, perhaps by a reed bed, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natgeokids.com\/uk\/discover\/animals\/birds\/starling-murmurations\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Starling murmuration facts!<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":258443,"featured_media":176281,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[277,2962,2960,2961,2963],"christmas-category":[],"class_list":["post-174103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-birds","tag-birds","tag-natural-phenomenon","tag-starling","tag-starling-murmuration","tag-unusual-behaviour","countries-australia","countries-ireland","countries-new-zealand","countries-south-africa","countries-united-kingdom"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Starling murmuration facts! - National Geographic Kids<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn all about this amazing natural phenomenon \u2013 starling murmuration! 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