Nature's Shapeshifters: Bird Murmurations
By Clara Wodny on September 24, 2024 in Blog
Turn your eyes toward the sky at dusk, and you just might get to see nature’s shapeshifters: a flock of murmurating birds.
Bird murmuration is a phenomenon that occurs when hundreds of thousands (up to 750,000!) birds fly back and forth in a dense group. Appearing like a dark, constantly moving cloud, they will shift, twist, pulse, expand and contract, making many different shapes and pictures in the sky.
You won’t usually see murmuration during the summer months, as the birds are using their energy for breeding and taking care of young birds. Instead, the ideal time to spot this incredible dance is during fall and early winter, just before dusk. The murmuration will typically last for about 45 minutes to one hour, at which point the birds will all drop out of the sky and into their nightly roosting areas.
We don’t know exactly why murmuration occurs, but one theory is that it helps birds stay protected from predators. The spellbinding swirling effect of thousands of birds swooping and twisting in unison is likely to confuse predators like hawks and owls. It is also thought that the impressive visual display could be an invitation to other birds to join in the nightly roost, as having many birds packed tightly together helps to keep them warm.
The term murmuration is most often used to refer to the behavior of European Starlings, medium-sized black birds that are invasive to Iowa and North America. There are a few other species of birds that are known to murmurate as well, including blackbird species like native Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles.
While birds gathering in large groups to migrate is not unique, murmuration is something different. Named for the low murmuring sounds that result from the simultaneous beating of many wings and soft flight calls, murmuration is a stunning display of the athleticism, artistry, and teamwork of birds.
To learn more about bird murmuration, check out these resources!
- Watch this video to see captivating murmurations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0sE10zUYyY
- Read this children's book for young nature lover's that features beautiful illustrations and interesting facts about murmuration: We Are Starlings: Inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration by Furrow, Robert, Napoli, Donna Jo, Martin, Marc (illustrator)