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and
rome
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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
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
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 ,
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
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