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urban wild the starlings of

and
rome

fL
O
2 0 0 8
u n t i l t w o t h o u s a n d a n d e i g h t , n o - o n e h a d b e e n
a b l e t o c o l l e c t e n o u g h e v i d e n c e o f
C O L L E C T

h o w s t a r l i n g s

cK
d e t e r m i n i n g t h e s h a p e o f a
the
f l o c k
they found
crucial
i s
factor
n o t t h e

DISTANCE
that

between
each
to
bird, but the
number of
birds
GETHER
t o

t h a t
a
i n
t e a m
w a s
i t a l y
g r o u n d
s t u d i e s
o f
u n t i l
t e s

r e s e a r c h e r s
c o n c l u d e d
b r e a k i n g
o n t h e
t s u c h i d e a s

b e t w e e n
f l y i n g
i n d i v i d u a l s
starlings of
rome

Until 2008, no-one had been able to collect enough evidence of how starlings

flock together to test such ideas. That was until a team of researches in Italy

conducted ground breaking studies on the starlings of Rome.

They found that the crucial factor determining the

shape of a flock is not the distance between

each bird, but the number of birds fl y i n g b e t we e n i n d i v i d u a l s.

d u r i n g a u
a tu ut mu m
n ,
n , dark
e arly evening, just before dusk, is the best time to see

clouds
across Rome as they perform their aerial dance
but these are no ordinary
aa uu tt uu mm nn

begin to for m and choose their communal night-time shelter.


in the
sky above
They roost in places that are sheltered from
w i l d l i f e s p e c t a c l e s

harsh weather and predators.


During autumn, dark clouds begin to form in

ST
the sky above Rome. But these are no
They tend to roost in cliffs, buildings, and industrial
ordinary clouds. They are one of Italy's most
structures. During the day, however, they form daytime
incredible wildlife spectacles.
roosts at exposed places such as treetops, where the birds

AR AAERL
e a r l y e v e n i n g have good all-around visibility.
F r o m N o v e m b e r t o F e b r u a r y, h u n d r e d s o f t h o u s a n d s o f j u s t b e f o r e d u s k ,

starlings tur n the sky black around Rome. T he birds


their
i s t h e b e s t t i m e
come tog ether in hug e clouds, wheeling, tur ning, and swooping t o s e e t h e m a c r o s s

R O M E

LINGS
a s t h e y p e r f o r m t h e i r
in unison in what is known as
da
i

nc e

black
D A N C E
a n d c h o o s e t h e i r c o m m u n a l
n i g h t - t i m e s h e l t e r

'murmation'. turn the sky t h e y r o o s t


i n p l a c e s t h a t a r e
a r o u n d r o m e . t h e b i r d s c o m e t o g e t h e r
i n h u g e c l o u d s , w h e e l i n g , t u r n i n g , a n d s w o o p i n g sh e l te r e d
a n d f pr or emd ah taor rs sh w e a t h e r

i n u n i s o n i n w h a t i s k n o w n a s ' m u m u r a t i o n d ay t i m e ro o s t s
t h e y f o r m

during autumn at
dark clouds begin to form in the sky above rome e x p o s e d p l a c e s s u c h a s t r e e t o p s
w h e r e t h e b i r d s h a v e g o o d a l l - d a y v i s i b i l i t y

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