During autumn and winter months, starlings form massive flocks in the early evening when they come together to choose their communal night time roost. The sky is turned into a swirling black cloud as the birds turn and swoop in unison. This is known as a ‘murmuration’ and is a wildlife spectacle not to miss.
They tend to choose areas sheltered from harsh weather and predators like woodland, reedbed, cliffs, buildings and industrial structures. The largest gatherings are during winter when numbers are boosted by thousands of migrant birds visiting from Europe for Britain’s milder climate. There can be up to 100,000 starlings in a single roost during this time.
Murmuration at Ham Wall RSPB reserve (David Kjaer, rspb-images.com)
Several RSPB reserves provide great views of this including Ham Wall, Leighton Moss, Saltholme and Newport wetlands but starlings roost in locations all over the country including near well known tourist attractions like Brighton Pier. One of the biggest murmurations in the UK is over Gretna where tens of thousands of birds are part of this aerial wonder.
We’ve even had some small murmurations over the reserve and we hope that the reedbed will provide a great roosting site for these starlings as it develops. It would be such a great sight to see this truly beautiful wonder of nature on the reserve and a great treat for visitors.
Late last year there were a few hundred performing their stuff over the local Tesco Car park. I think they then flew off into the nearby Westgate wood.
I wonder what that was that just flew past??