One of nature’s highlights throughout the colder months are the incredible aerial displays performed by one of our most charismatic species – Starling murmurations. Learn how to enjoy winter’s best spectacle!
If you’re lucky enough to see a Starling murmuration you might think these birds are doing well. But Starlings declined by 57% between 1995 and 2023 and they now feature on the Red List of birds of high conservation concern.
Starlings are regular garden visitors and you could see them pretty much anywhere in the UK, except parts of Scotland. To be in with a chance of watching one of their spectacular aerial performances – called a murmuration – head to large roost sites like reedbeds, piers, and coastal marshes.
Starlings are resident in the UK all year round, but their numbers swell in winter, when birds migrate here from Scandinavia.
In winter the humble Starling puts on one of nature’s most spectacular shows. As the sun dips below the horizon, hundreds – and sometimes thousands – of them gather in vast flocks that swoop and swirl across the sky, like the avian equivalent of the Red Arrows.
These dazzling displays are so perfectly synchronised that people once thought that Starlings could read each other’s minds, allowing them to twist and turn in perfect unison. Scientists have since figured out that Starlings have lightning-fast rection speeds, which mean they can mirror the flight path of the birds around them.
Head outside and discover fascinating birds each month. Read on for top ID tips, what to listen for, and where to see them.
