Neat-o!

A murmuration, or flock of starlings, here

includes thousands of these tiny birds collectively flying

and swirling about. The mesmerizing act is typically

seen at the beginning of winter, right before dusk, as

the birds look for a place to roost for the night.

During the action, birds reach speeds of up to 20 mph. 

In the video, Sophie Windsor Clive captured an

incredible example of the event on the River Shannon

in Ireland. Clive and her companion, Liberty Smith, just

seem to happen on the event as they were canoeing across.

It was an amazing treat neither of them ever expected to see. 

According to the Telegraph, what makes it

so beautiful is actually a survival function: 


"Numbers build up slowly near the roost over
the afternoon as small groups of birds return from
foraging in the area," explains Paul Stancliffe of the
British Trust for Orinthology. "By late afternoon there
is a huge swirling cloud. It's all about safety in 
numbers - non wants to be on the outside,
none wants to be first to land."


Essentially it's an epic battle to determine who

in the flock survives, and who's a target

for predators. According to the Telegraph, each

bird tries to copy the bird next to it exactly,

which results in a stunning rippling effect.

-- via Huffington Post

And that concludes our science lesson for the day.

- A