Taking place at dusk and early evening in winter, there are few things in the sky that are as quiet as mesmeric as vast numbers of birds grouping together, twisting and turning as if they were a single object in the sky. I am of course referring to a murmuration.
The name murmuration refers to a large group of birds; usually, Starlings, that all fly together and change direction together. While several other wild birds gather together in large flocks or groups in the UK, experts are usually referring to Starlings when they use the word ‘murmuration’.
Many other wild birds flock together, but these gatherings are referred to by different names. This article will explain Starling murmurations, what is it, why they do it, and where you can go to see them in the UK.
What is a murmuration?
If you have been lucky enough to witness the incredible sight of a large group of birds, usually Starlings all flying together and changing direction together, you will know first-hand that there is something exceedingly mesmerising about them. Starlings are known to begin these displays during their roosting season which can sometimes start as early as September and continue right throughout winter in the UK.
During this period, more and more birds will gather together into huge flocks numbering as many as 100,000 at times. Starlings typically roost in a sheltered location, out of the way of unusually harsh weather and predators. In the wild, these locations include reedbeds or dense woodlands
Although I have read several explanations for where the name may have originally come about, the most likely seems to be due to the sound emitted when they pass overhead and quickly change direction.
A murmur a low continuous background noise:
“the distant murmur of traffic.”
Definitions from Oxford Languages
Why do murmurations occur?
Although the exact reason for murmurations is unknown, these swirling masses of Starlings help the birds in several ways. At this time of year in the UK, the weather is considerably colder, and it is thought that murmurations assist with keeping them warm.
As the numbers grow, it is likely that the numbers could significantly impact their surrounding area and perhaps increase the temperature by as much as 3 degrees. Murmurations typically happen above where Starlings chose their roosting site and roosting together in flocks numbering tens of thousands will undoubtedly offer greater warmth at this time of year.
We also know that there safety in numbers as raising the alarm to possible threats is considerably more straightforward in a flock of 100,000 Starlings when you have 200,000 eyes and ears keeping watch!
The sheer size and movement of a murmuration will deter predators further as there is simply nothing else like it in the wild. This will undoubtedly make many predators question, whether the potential prey is worth the risk. For example, Peregrine falcons find it particularly difficult to target one bird when presented with a choice of thousands.
Those Starlings involved in a murmuration also limit their exposure to prey by consistently changing which bird is on the outside of the group. This tactic reduces the risk to each bird that may otherwise be on their own.
In addition to exchanging information while roosting together, it is believed that exchanges of information also take place during a murmuration itself. Exchanging information on feeding types or the location of food, for example.
Where can you see a murmuration?
To identify the best location is to see a murmuration, we must first consider when and where the Starlings will be roosting as murmurations usually happen above these locations. The Autumn roosting season typically starts around November in the UK, but this can vary from site to site.
Roosting occurs over several weeks during which time, Starlings numbers can grow substantially. It is known that the majority of Starlings come from around the UK and Eastern Europe. As the weather gets colder in Europe, many Starlings will migrate over to the UK to overwinter. Numbers can increase further if there is a favourable easterly wind to help their passage.
In the countryside, Starlings will roost in woodland, reedbeds, cliffs etc. but they are also known to favour buildings and industrial structures if the areas are built up. One of the most distinctive and well-known locations in the UK is West Pier in Brighton, Sussex, owned by the West Pier Trust (WPT).
Although extremely popular when original build in the 1860s, the pier fell into disrepair in 1975 after the owners filed for bankruptcy. In the following years, it had several collapses along with some notable fires.
Only the skeletal structure at the very end of the pier remains now, and it has since become the perfect roosting location for many birds including the Starling. Approximately 40,000 birds use this location now arriving from as far afield as Scandinavia to overwinter.
Another famous structure is that of the Royal Pier Aberystwyth, Ceredigion in Wales which has also become a popular location for Starlings and birdwatchers. They are known to roost underneath the pier and gather in murmurations above. It has become such a regular occurrence at this location that there is now a hotel very aptly named ‘The Starling Cloud‘.
Although most reports suggest that the best time to see these murmurations is early evening right around the UK, there is no guarantees that you will see this spectacle or that you will witness the large numbers of birds often associated with the events. There is no doubt that sunset in the UK is often the best time to see evening murmurations, but you are unlikely to find an exact time as this time changes throughout winter.
The weather around roosting time also seems to affect the choice of when roosting time is. Dull and overcast weather encourages the birds to roost earlier than if it were a clear, bright evening. Suppose you make an effort to visit one of the larger roosting sites early one morning, however. In that case, you are almost guaranteed to experience a vast number of Starlings taking flight, often into two or three large groups.
The RSPB website also has many reserves under its ownership that are fantastic locations to view these spectacles. The RSPB has approximately 100 excellent reserves in the South of England, around 15 in the west, 6 in Northern Ireland and a further 50 reserves in Scotland. Still, unfortunately, not all of these locations will have murmurations.
Declining numbers
Despite the incredible numbers of starlings seen in these murmurations, the Starling is in decline, and we have seen a marked reduction in their numbers of the last century. As a child I remember my parents’ garden full of large numbers of starlings, but Starling numbers now are a fraction of what they once were. Many years ago there were reports of large flocks of birds being seen over many of our UK cities, including Manchester, Liverpool, and Edinburgh. Sadly this is a rarer sight these days, and you are more likely to see this kind of gatherings in less built up and rural areas. The Starling population’s reduction may have dropped by as much as 80%, which has moved the bird onto the critically at risk list.
The reason for the decline in numbers is unknown, but it could be down to the increase in the use of farming chemicals and a shortage of food in many nesting sites.
Other resources
One of the best resources on the internet for Starlings is the website Starlingsintheuk.co.uk which is dedicated to providing you with information and the location of roost sites’ locations right across the UK. It is a very active site with regular updates. Definitely worth a visit if you would like to know more about these incredible events or want to get involved.