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Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Murmuration

Question: What is a huge flock of starlings called?

Answer: A murmuration.

I was fascinated by this cool hanging sculpture inspired by starlings in murmuration at a community mall aptly named The Starling.

365 individually crafted birds were used in the installation to represent each day of the year.

An extra special 366th bird was added to symbolize the leap year the mall was constructed in.

A murmuration video to share. Uncanny. Almost extraterrestrial, don't you agree?



God's screensaver!
image credit - Daniel Biber

When starlings flock together before dusk to roost, they often swoop in murmuration — a  phenomenon that results when the birds shape shift in the sky as if  they were a single ginormous, gyrating entity.

But the spectacular aerial display isn't for fun.The presence of a predator like a hawk or peregrine falcon often triggers the behavior and the flock's synchronized motion is based on evasive maneuvers. The swarming and complex twisting movements are a defense mechanism to help protect the flock by confusing the predator. He can't lock on to a single target. Safety in numbers!!

I've always wondered about the science behind the murmuration and a recent video I watched hypothesizes that a starling in the flock just has to follow 3 simple rules!

1. As you fly, stay towards each other
2. If any of your seven neighbours turn, you turn
3. Don't crowd each other

When millions of birds do it in unison and at a speed that's 10 times faster than any human pilot, the results are astounding!

Keep Calm and Carry On Linking Sunday

32 comments:

  1. OH WOW! I thought they were real birds :-) Beautiful

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  2. snagging your blog button :-)

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  3. I'd love to see this in person! So fascinating! Had no idea!

    betty

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  4. I love videos of murmurations. They are so beautiful. Truly a wonder a sign of God's beauty and creation on this good green earth.

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  5. Beautiful. I've never seen this for real, but I'd love to.

    Have a fabulous day. ♥

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  6. Oh, how beautiful. What a great way to add art to the mall! And I love the videos too. I had quite forgotten how beautiful it is to see starlings doing their dance!

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  7. Amazing to see! I love that the birds were all individually made! How cool!

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  8. There was a huge flock of starlings near my house recently making all kinds of racket from the trees and wires. All at once, as if from an invisible prompt, they rose up all together and were gone, completely gone. I believe they began their migration to parts south. It was amazing to watch.

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  9. Really is a spectacular phenomenon - great post #GlobalBlogging

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  10. Wow those pictures are amazing.. a murmuration.. hmm learn something new everyday.

    http://www.henatayeb.blogspot.com

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  11. Not a run of the mill post and hence wonderful. So beautiful and informative too/ #AnythingGoeos

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  12. You manage to make starlings sound quite beautiful. I like the idea of the murmuration #Globalblogging

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  13. Beautiful first time I have seen this very effective :-)

    Have a sculpturetastic week :-)

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  14. Loved it! So gorgeous and I love birds (except during blueberry season) Teresa

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  15. Very cool!
    Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2018/10/master-potter.html

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  16. Hi Girlfriend, out of the hospital and home on the mend, but it'll be awhile before I'll be out & about. Thanks for stopping by! BIG HUGS This is a beautiful video and I think I've seen birds such as these when we were at Cedar Point in Ohio!!!

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  17. That is so cool your mall has that. I love seeing murmurations on tv - discovery channel. But I do wish I could see one in real life!

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  18. Super cool thing for the mall to have hanging. We always find the big flocks of birds in formation fascinating.

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  19. How fascinating is this behaviour? And love the art installation. #Bloggerclubuk

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  20. Veronica,

    Thank you for stopping by and linking up today!

    The artwork is very cool but cooler still is the video you shared of the Starlings making such interesting flight patterns across the open sky. Now, that's very neat and while I've seen birds do this, I haven't seen it in recent years.

    Have a fototastic day, my friend!

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  21. If ever you want one of the freebies I made ,and you want it in a different color or style, let me know ;-)
    Oh lol followed you on instagram :-D

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  22. I'm a birdwatcher! I see Starlings flying in farm fields near me. I must saw the birds in the art display are beautiful. Thanks for sharing on Sunday's Best.

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  23. murmuration! what a cool word. I hadn't heard it before. Love that installation

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  24. what pretty birds! so colorful.

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  25. Wow ! I did not know that it was called that, or why they flew like that either. the sculpture is beautiful. Thanks so much for linking up at #KCACOLS. Hope you come back again next time!

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  26. This is just a wonderful thing to see in nature. Love that art installation. #KCACOLS

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  27. What a beautiful art installation. Where we used to live there used to be murmurations of starlings flying overhead at the same time each year - it was fascinating and beautiful to watch! #KCACOLS

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  28. This is an amazing thing to watch! #kcacols

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  29. Oh I do love a good murmaration! It's absolutely captivating to watch, a bit like a ballet in the sky. Amazing art installation too x

    #KCACOLS

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  30. Beautiful - plus I've learned something new today. I never knew what a murmuration is, very interesting! #KCACOLS

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