Starlings Make Amazing Shapes

[Joe]

I wonder if this has anything to do with morphogenic fields? Or maybe it has more to do with photoshop

Can you see what it is yet? How a flock of starlings can look just like a bird, a duck and even a turtle

By Daily Mail Reporter
02nd February 2010

Flocks of starlings are renowned for forming a variety of shapes in the sky.

But on this occasion they must have been overcome by vanity – and created a giant starling for us ground-dwellers to admire.

The countless creatures created the awesome display by using the winter breeze as the low-setting sun caused the sky to glow red.

Birdwatching: The giant starling formation over the setting sun was spotted in Taunton, Somerset

The amazing spectacle was spotted over Taunton, Somerset.

Elsewhere, starlings created a bizarre image of a rubber duck in the sky as they flew in formation across Britain.

Animal experts have been stunned by the sight, which was spotted above home in Tolladine, Worcestershire.

Couple Thelma and Fred Stamp were amazed when they saw the feathered thousands mass above their house.

They had been racking up hours watching the skies over the past few weeks, hoping to catch a glimpse of them.

Is it bathtime? Thousands of birds create a bizarre image of a rubber duck over Tolladine, Worcestershire

Mrs Stamp: ‘We have been watching them for two weeks now and it is so lovely to see.

‘It starts with four or five of them at first but then they start coming from all around.

‘It’s been truly incredible to witness.

‘When you watch it on TV you don’t see how the birds come from different directions, at least half a dozen places - It is quite a sight.’

Starlings form a tight sphere-like formation in flight, expanding and contracting and changing shapes in what is known as a Moot.

These large flocks forage together, in a practice called roller-feeding where the birds at the back of the flock continually fly to the front to forage for food.

Shell-shocked: Starlings create the shape of a gliding turtle over the skies of Taunton

The organised technique means every bird has a turn to lead and also allows them to keep watch for predators at the same time, Alexis Johnson from the RSPB said such a massive flock of birds was a rare sight to see.

He said: 'Seeing starlings fly in these incredible formations truly is an amazing sight.

‘The birds flying together like a school of fish, all their movements in sync.

‘Because of their recent decline, it is unfortunately becoming more and more rare to see.’

 

[Al Today]

It's a pretty picture alright. Maybe it is a good candidate for photoshop, or a once in a liftime picture taken. I have no way to ascertain.

But, flocks of bird are absolutely beautiful, if not mesmerizing to watch.


edit: I had to ponder context of the word "morphogenic". T'was fun, thanks..

 

[JEEP]

My first impression was that of a manatee. I have observed these large flocks of starlings and grackles in our area many times. It does seem that they engage in this type of behavior only during certain times of the year rather than all the time. When they finish their aerial acrobatics and land and congregate in a couple of trees, the noise they make is incredible! It's quite a ruckus! I always wonder how they synchronize their movements in the air so that there are no collisions?! It's a wonder and a mystery!

 

[treesparrow]

There are a number of videos of starling flocks on youtube, here's a short clip -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81wFZavdhPU


AWESOME!

 

[Adaryn]

There are a number of videos of starling flocks on youtube, here's a short clip -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81wFZavdhPU


AWESOME!

Amazing and very impressive

 

[JGeropoulas]

I wonder if this has anything to do with morphogenic fields? Or maybe it has more to do with photoshop

Can you see what it is yet? How a flock of starlings can look just like a bird, a duck and even a turtle

By Daily Mail Reporter
02nd February 2010

Flocks of starlings are renowned for forming a variety of shapes in the sky. But on this occasion they must have been overcome by vanity – and created a giant starling for us ground-dwellers to admire.

Just looks like a bird-brained fractal to me ;)

 

[Pierre]

There also seems to be similar collective patterns/dynamics under water.

Here's a link to a David Attenborough documentary showing dolphins hunting a flock of sardines.

The flock patterns start to be visible a 1'20.

 

[knowledge_of_self]

There are a number of videos of starling flocks on youtube, here's a short clip -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81wFZavdhPU


AWESOME!

Amazing and very impressive

Yes, They look like one single entity when they fly as one. Truly amazing.

 

[HowToBe]

I agree that these flocks are amazing. As far as the shapes go, I think with enough birds and enough pictures taken, interesting shapes are likely to emerge occasionally. Like finding shapes in clouds. Peculiarities remain fun, however! ;D

 

[treesparrow]

He's behind you! Starlings form a flipping amazing dolphin in the dusky sky... being chased by an open-mouthed killer whale


Sea life took to the skies - or so it seemed - when a photographer captured amazing pictures of these starling formations.

Paul McGreevy, 55, of Carlisle, captured Gretna’s famous murmuration of starlings as they impersonated sea creatures.

The birds first flocked together to form a dolphin being chased by a killer whale with its mouth gaping open.

Stunning: A flock of starlings in the shape of a dolphin being chased by a whale make their way acoss the dusk skies above Gretna Green, Scotland

Next Mr McGreevy captured the birds morphing into an octopus as they soared above the skies.

The self-employed gardener and keen amateur photographer made the half hour trip to Gretna Green, Scotland, to capture the starlings aerial acrobatics on Wednesday afternoon at sunset.

The father-of-three said: 'It wasn’t until I got my camera home and started putting the images on my computer that I saw all these shapes.

'I was really surprised to see the dolphin, then what looked like a killer whale chasing it.

'There’s an octopus too - but people can see lots of different things in the pictures. I suppose a psychiatrist could tell you a lot from what people see in the pictures.'

Seas of the sky: The starlings form the shape of an octopus. The birds come together every autumn to form one of nature¿s most impressive spectacles

The birds come together every autumn to form one of nature’s most impressive spectacles as they flock together above the Scottish village.

Mr McGreevy added: 'The starlings come to Gretna in late October and they stay until February.

'People come from all over to see them - one time I met a couple who had driven up from Stoke to see the starlings.'

_http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2063210/Starlings-form-dolphin-skies.html

 

[bngenoh]

Starlings are absolutely beautiful, espeially when they fly together, they were heading south through my area last week, and i was outside smoking , and they came like a whirlwind form the north, settled on the trees for a while, and then the whole lot of them started to fly south, there were a great number of them, and i loved the sound of their many wings, flapping against the air. It was just cool cause it was so close to me:D. No discernible shape though, :( because it would have made my week :D

 

[dantem]

What stuck me is that they tend to form symmetrical shapes, either 3D or 'flat'. I remember as it was yesterday, in 2005 when my uncle died, as I was looking back for the last time at the cemetery gates, maybe 20-30 starlings suddenly started to fly upwards creating two symmetrical spikes in the sky like two "^ ^" shapes crossing and overlapping as they rose up above. Think to have seen this shape many other times either. Perhaps when there's a multitude of them flying together, they usually go flying in two symmetrical formations like two hemispheres of a single brain?

 

[3DStudent]

This is interesting. If they really are one soul, then it makes sense that they fly in such fluid and unified waves.

 

[HowToBe]

For what it's worth, there are simulations based on scientists' understanding of how these birds and fish navigate as a group. One type of simulated creature is called a "boid" (you can look up boid videos or java simulations you can toy with), and each little "organism" navigates using simple rules, just watching its closest neighbors' movements. The flocking behaviors can be pretty impressive. I'm sure there are other types of simulations, too. This doesn't rule out the possibility that there are subtler forces involved as well.

A quick way to see such a simulation in action is to go to this page: _http://dan-ball.jp/en/javagame/dust/
When the applet opens, click the "birds" option (near the bottom, third column). Then click in the large black area and the "birds" (little pixels) will fly around with a simple flocking behavior.